


The breeding program

by Chevalier_Barthelemy



Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Alpha Number Five | The Boy, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Alternate Universe, Angst, Breeding, Dubious Consent, Dystopian society, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Falling In Love, Fluff, Knotting, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Mentions of Rape, Not between fiveya!, Omega Vanya Hargreeves, Omega Verse, Physical abuse on a minor, Possessive Number Five | The Boy, Possessive Vanya Hargreeves, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Protective Diego Hargreeves, Protective Number Five | The Boy, Recreational Drug Use, Shameless Smut, Slow Burn, Smut, Tough Childhood, again not with fiveya, not with Fiveya, world building
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-15
Updated: 2021-03-13
Packaged: 2021-03-17 11:42:12
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 7
Words: 27,176
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29471148
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chevalier_Barthelemy/pseuds/Chevalier_Barthelemy
Summary: In a world where mates are decided based on a matchmaking algorithm to produce the best possible offspring, Vanya always assumed she would get matched with any random alpha. So when she was matched with Five Hargreeves, CEO and owner of the multi-billion dollar company, Umbrella corp, she could not believe her eyes.
Relationships: Diego Hargreeves & Vanya Hargreeves, Number Five | The Boy/Vanya Hargreeves
Comments: 125
Kudos: 244





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [pacoca](https://archiveofourown.org/users/pacoca/gifts).



> So I am gifting this fic to Pacoca because as I was writing it I just knew this is the kind of fic she would love! You're an amazing writer and artists, I'm always in awe of your work! 
> 
> As for the story, the nature of the AU does pose some dubcon elements and there are mentions of rape, although not between Fiveya. read at your own discretion!

“Today, the UN has declared the decline in omegas has seen an all-time low since two thousand and two. As a result, stricter laws are expected to be put into place in-”

Giving out a sigh, Vanya turned her eyes away from the TV and took a sip from her coffee. Around her people were conversing amongst themselves in the café, or reading the morning paper. She wasn’t usually one to spend her Saturday mornings in a café but seeing as she ran out of coffee, she had no other choice. 

Taking a bite from her bagel, she noticed a few people giving her sideways glances while a few blatantly stared at her. She thought nothing of it, by now she was long used to it. With how rare omegas were, seeing one was akin to seeing a unicorn. Despite everything about her being completely ordinary, she was born with the fortune, or misfortune (depending on who you ask) to be born an omega which made her part of the 15% of the world population. Just her luck. 

After finishing her bagel, she downed her coffee and exited the café, feeling everyone’s eyes on the back of her head. Seeing as the café was right next to her apartment, she didn’t need to walk much to get to it. 

Walking into her beat down apartment, Vanya went to her mailbox first. Once she got the few envelopes and a parcel, she closed the mailbox and made her way to her apartment, glancing down at Mr. Puddles as he meowed and made his way down the stairs. All the while, she couldn’t help but think about the UN’s statement and what that meant. Things were already difficult for omegas as it was, it was hard to imagine how it could get any harder. They had already taken their freedom, what more could they want? Sure, she was just as worried about the state their society was in, and the rapid population decline, but that didn’t mean she had to like how they were combating the problem. 

Entering her apartment, she placed her keys on the hook on the wall and flipped through the mail. Just the usual bill and coupons. But then her eyes landed on a large parcel from the government. It was like her heart had jumped to her throat. She didn’t need to open it to know its content. 

After placing the other envelopes on the table, she tore open the parcel and read the document.

_Omega #1.007 this year you will partake in the omega breeding program. As you know, this program is mandatory, failure to obey is considered a criminal offence under the omega breeding act, line 2. You can find further details on the program inside this package, or through our official government website. In seven business days, an envelope will be sent to your home with all the information about your match._

Please find the information printed on the back of this document. **Check that the information is correct.** Any discrepancies will be your responsibility, and a criminal offence under the _omega breeding act, line 6._

_Your government thanks you for your support._

Hands shaking, Vanya nearly ripped the paper to shreds. 

She thought she had at least two more years until the government came knocking and forced her to partake in the omega program. She wasn’t yet in what they considered an omegas most fertile age, so why now? Could it be because of the UN’s recent statement? Or did she have the worst luck? She was leaning towards the latter. 

Opening the information package, she stared at the booklet. On the front there was the image of an alpha and an omega, smiling brightly at her, their teeth flashing almost mockingly. The government liked to paint the omega breeding program in a good light. They loved to make it sound and seem like it was a good thing, both as a service to their country and the world and as a sort of American dream kind of thing. Thier propaganda always had an alpha and an omega couple, with various children, a dog, a large home and a car. But she knew the truth. 

Giving out a sigh, she made her way to her couch and sat down on it as she read the booklet. The only sign of her turmoil was kept within her, as her stomach wrapped itself into knots.

_The omega breeding program was written by the UN in 1982 and has since been adopted by most countries throughout the world…_

Vanya continued to read.

She already knew all the things that were on the package, she had learned all about it in high school. And yet she read it with rapt attention. For some reason, she never thought the day would come, and yet here she was. And now it felt too real. 

For reasons yet unknown, before she was even born, the omega population took a sudden dip. If the numbers had been on betas or alphas, it would not have been as worrying, but seeing as omegas were the only ones that could reproduce, it was. Still, despite the worrying statistics, no one thought anything of it at the time, until the numbers kept declining and the world was turned on its axis.

Unrest and turmoil wracked world. Countries panicked, they gathered omegas and kept them inside compounds, and passed ridiculous laws. It was only after a summit that the problem was accessed, and a counteraction was put in place as the general assembly created the omega breeding program. Though it was better than what people were doing before, it was far from perfect. Once a teenager presented as an omega, they were classified as an omega by the government and were given a set of new rules. Given their rarity, omegas could not partake in dangerous activities or have careers that could compromise their safety, such as military, cop, firefighter etc. Omegas were also prohibited from engaging in sexual intercourse until they were mated, which was done to ensure the omega was in perfect condition until then. They also forced omegas to attend regular doctor appointments to ensure peak health. Once mated, an omega belonged to their alpha and was required to bear offspring. There were quite a few more laws, but those were the main ones. Of course, there were some good things. Like the added security to omegas, the fact that they didn’t need to pay taxes and could attend college for free. Omegas also had until they were twenty-five, until they were forced to partake in the breeding program. The government kept saying it was done so omegas had the chance to gain an education, but they weren't fooling anyone. The age they were to partake in the program was twenty-five because that was the age omegas reached their peak fertility. Overall, the disadvantages far outweighed the advantages. 

Vanya flipped the page and read the part of what the alphas were expected. Despite betas being able to impregnate omegas, alphas were the only ones allowed on the project. Alphas were, after all, considered much more suitable mates for an omega. So alpha’s were part of the program too, but seeing as there weren’t enough omegas, not every alpha was picked. Those that were picked were considered fortuitous. There was also the fact that the alpha’s life was more or less left unchanged if they were picked. All they had to do was to ensure the health and protection of the omega they matched with and their offsprings, and yet there were always stories about alpha’s mistreating omegas. 

Giving out a sigh, Vanya rubbed her face and threw the package on the coffee table and glanced around her apartment.

She wasn’t looking forward to leaving her apartment. Despite all its problems, with Mrs. Kowalski constantly blaming her for stealing her cat, the neighbour’s very audible angry sex, and all the plumbing problems her landlord refused to fix, it was still home. It was the first place she could call her own after mom died, and that made her attached. Unfortunately, she had no choice on the matter. As soon as they matched her with an alpha, she would have to pack her things and move in with them. Unless said alpha didn’t have a home to provide and moved in with her, but that would be the worst kind of humiliation. An alpha that couldn’t provide a home for their family was no alpha at all, at least that is how society saw it. Truthfully, she thought that was stupid. An omega could be just as capable of providing for a family as an alpha. 

Hands folded together, fingers gripping each other tightly, she pursed her lips and reached for her phone. She knew it was a bad idea to call her brother; she knew he wouldn’t take the news well. The omega breeding program was a sensitive topic for him, for both of them. Not to mention that they weren’t exactly close. They didn’t get along as kids, and now that they were adults, they still didn’t quite get along. Of course, that didn’t mean they didn’t care for one another. It’s just that they had nothing in common. Regardless, he would always want what’s best for her, no matter what, and she needed to talk to someone, anyone. 

Dialling his number, she lifted the phone to her ear and waited as the phone rang. After a few seconds, he picked up.

“Yo,” Diego answered, clearly not having seen the caller ID. 

“Diego, it’s me, Vanya.” 

Diego gave out a grunt, and she heard the loud clunk of weights being put down. Given the time, he was probably doing his morning workout before he started his work for Al at the gym. 

He breathed a couple of times to catch his breath before he continued. 

“Hey, Van. Look, I’m kinda busy right now so could you-”

“The government sent me a letter.” She cut him off and took a deep breath. “They’re going to match me with an alpha in a week.” 

The line went silent. 

“What?” He asked, his voice soft, almost deadly. It made her shoulder stiffen. “But you’re not twenty-five yet, they can’t do that. The law says-”

Vanya shook her head.

“Diego, it’s the government. They’re the ones that make the laws.” 

There was a crash from his side of the line. Knowing him, he no doubts sent some gym equipment crashing to the floor. Honestly, she didn’t know how Al put up with him, she could even catch him cursing Diego from his end. 

“That’s bullshit!” He growled, breathing hard into the phone as if winded, no doubt from what he had thrown. 

She said nothing, waiting for him to calm down. Once his breathing settled back to its normal rhythm, he let out a deep sigh. It made her heart clench that Diego was being put through this again. What happened to their mother was still fresh in their memory. He didn’t deserve to go through that again. Neither of them did. 

“Just stay put, I’ll go down to the station and ask Eudora if she can do something, I mean she’s a cop, maybe she can-”

“Diego,” she sighed, sounding more tired than she ever had before. “We both knew this day was coming. There’s nothing anyone can do.” 

More silence followed. 

“So what? Am I supposed to just sit on my ass while my baby sister is handed off to some asshole like she’s a piece of meat? Mom said it was my responsibility to protect you.”

“And you have,” she mumbled.

She remembered all those times he stood in front of her every time some kid picked on her in school, or when guys would catcall her on the streets and he would glare at them. Despite everything, he was always there to protect her. It didn’t matter if it was just because of the promise he made their mom, she still appreciated it. But this was something he couldn’t stop.

“But this is just something you can’t protect me from.” 

She didn’t wait for him to say anything as she hung up the phone. Oddly enough, Diego had remained silent. 

Throwing the phone on the sofa, Vanya propped her elbows on her knees and stared blankly at the wall. It was insane to think that in a few days, they would match a random person in the country with her and the life she had made for herself would come to an end. 

* * *

For the next few days, Vanya could not sleep properly. Under her eyes were dark shadows. She was far too worried and stressed about what she could only describe as her impending doom. 

After she got the news, she spoke to her landlord, and how she was likely to move out soon. Despite not being the best landlord, he was a little saddened by the news, or rather, saddened that he was going to lose a tenant. After all, Vanya always paid her rent on time. Once her landlord was informed, she told the conductor that she might have to quit the orchestra, news that had hurt her deeply. She had put a lot of work to get into the orchestra. Unlike her landlord, he didn’t seem at all disheartened or shocked, he just shrugged it off. Next were her co-workers, who had grinned as if Vanya was the luckiest girl ever.

 _‘You’re lucky, you don’t have to put yourself out there to find someone, you get your perfect match made for you,’_ they had told her. 

Vanya had to bite back a scoff. Lucky, sure. To have every aspect of her life dictated by the government and then by some strange alpha? Sure lucky. She had never even had sex before; she was still very much a virgin, despite being twenty-three years old. She didn’t even want to mention the fact that her only function in life was to be bred by some alpha.

She had said none of those things as she smiled and nodded. 

Next, she called her brother, who once again tried to tell her they should talk to someone. However, when she wouldn’t budge, he gave in, albeit with great resignation. 

_‘Whoever they pair you with, if they do anything to you, anything at all, you call me and I’ll deal with it. Alright?’_

She had wanted to say there was no point, but she had to agree, if only for his peace of mind. Diego was a hothead, always was. She wouldn’t put it past him coming over and beating whoever her alpha was. Although omegas got the short end of the stick, it mustn’t be very easy for alphas either. To accept a completely random stranger into their home. At least she knew she was fated to this from the moment she presented.

Once she had no one left to tell, she took the three days before getting her letter off for herself. She had thought about going out and enjoying her last few days of freedom but spent them in her apartment instead, wrapped in her blankets like a burrito and watching movies.

When the day of her letter came, she put off going to the mailbox to get it, until she had no other choice. 

With a sigh, she untangled from her blankets and left her little nest. She didn’t bother to change, she simply put on a coat and slippers and made her way to the mailbox. As promised, the letter was there, the only content inside, almost ominously. With a gulp, she grabbed the letter with her fate written inside it and closed the mailbox.

Once she walked back to her apartment, the letter burning in her fingers; she closed the door and laid the letter on the table. For the longest time, she just stared at it, as if it was some monster that could bite her. After finally mustering some courage, she took a deep breath and grabbed the letter. 

Biting her bottom lip, she opened the envelope and took out the paper. 

At first, she just saw statistics and numbers, the results the matchmaking machine had made as it compared her with her new mate and why they were compatible. She tried to read them, but they were incomprehensible to her, so she skimmed through them. Once she passed all that and she reached the bottom, she saw the name printed there in bold letters, the name of her alpha and Vanya gasped. It was like the floor had ripped open. 

_Five Reginald Hargreeves_

The paper fell from her hands. 

* * *

[Link to moodboard](https://chevalier12.tumblr.com/post/644340423006076928/a-moodboard-for-the-breeding-program-fan-fiction)


	2. Chapter 2

Vanya sat on the stairs outside her apartment, her hands between her knees, a small backpack on her back. Inside it were the few things she didn’t want to leave behind, things that had sentimental value, and important documents. It seemed almost impossible to think that all her life fit inside a small backpack, but it did. She never had much anyway. 

On their way to their apartments, a few tenants stopped to stare at her, wondering what she was doing there. They didn’t ask, nor would she have answered if they had. She was far too stressed.

A day ago she got an email from someone called Dolores. She did not know who that was, but she assumed it was Five Hargreeves assistant. In the email, she told her of the procedure and her moving date. She was told to pack what she wanted to bring with her. Vanya wanted to stay longer to sell the furniture and donate her clothes, but Dolores told her not to worry about it. In the end, she left her apartment just as it was, her chest clenching. It was scary how in a few days, any traces of her living there would disappear. 

Bending her neck down, she stared at her hands, her fingers entwined. It unsettled her that she had not met her match yet; it made her think the worst.

Did he not care enough about her? She supposed Five Hargreeves was a busy man, seeing as he was the CEO of the largest company in the country. But shouldn’t this be important enough for him to contact her himself? Instead of sending out his assistant to do it? She knew very little about Five Hargreeves, just what everybody else knew. That he was the heir of the eccentric billionaire Reginal Hargreeves, a business mogul that passed away a couple of years back. Much like his father, the media often portrayed him as aloof and arrogant. A man of business and nothing else. She heard he had siblings as well, all adopted, much as he had been, but she knew very little about them except his sister Allison, who was a popular movie star. But other than that, nothing. 

Vanya let out a long exhale.

Going to a new apartment and living with a stranger she had only seen on the news, terrified her. Not to mention what said stranger expected from her. The law mandated that he claimed her as his omega upon their first meeting, and from there, well… she rather not think too much about that. She rather enjoyed the last bit of freedom she had left, rather than worrying, even though she already felt sick to her stomach. 

Her phone vibrated in her pocket, and she took it from her pocket. 

_The limo will arrive in five minutes. Please be ready._

_Dolores_

Taking in a deep breath, Vanya rose to her feet and made her way to the entrance. With her backpack resting on her shoulder, she waited, getting a few stares from people. Thankfully, she didn’t have to wait long, as a limo made its way to her. Parking just in front of her, a few pedestrians turned their heads to look. Vanya slouched a little, trying to hide her face from view.

A tall, semi bulky man exited the driver’s side. He had a short, well-kept beard. His face showed a kind side, but also a tough, serious side. Given his soft scent, he was a beta. 

Vanya gazed up at him, her shoulders hunching. 

Looming over her, the man extended his hand to her and offered her a soft smile. She didn’t like strangers, both because it put her omega instincts on edge and on the defensive, but also because she herself wasn’t the most sociable person. People often told her she was shy and reserved, and while that was true, the events of her life had also put a damper on her sociability. 

“My name is Hazel, I’m head of security of Umbrella Corp. Mr. Hargreeves charged me with taking you to his apartment.”

Her shoulders fell. 

Vanya frowned a little. If he was the head of security, then why was he picking her up? Shouldn’t he have more important things to do? She didn’t ask. She simply nodded and shook his hand. Introducing herself was probably the right call, but he probably knew everything about her by now. She ended up not saying anything.

Opening the door for her, Vanya gave her apartment one last glance before she stepped inside the dark limo. It was the furthest thing from a luxurious apartment, but it was home and she would miss it. But she had to come to terms that It’s probable that she would never come back here again.

After she settled inside the limo, the man Hazel took his spot in the driver’s seat and drove off. 

For the rest of the ride, she stayed quiet, glancing at the expensive bottles of alcohol she suspected cost more than her entire apartment, and any amount of money she ever possessed. It all made her feel out of place. And it was just a limo. She could not imagine how the apartment would be like.

“Yes?” Hazel asked.

Vanya jumped in her seat, thinking he was talking to her. But then she realized he was talking to someone through his earpiece.

“I see, I’ll let her know.”

Hazel clicked his earpiece and looked at her through the rearview mirror.

“Mr. Hargreeves has been called to an emergency meeting, he won’t be at the apartment for a few hours. If you like, I can take you somewhere while you wait, or I can continue our course to the apartment.”

Vanya formed her lips into a tight line. 

She considered telling him to take her somewhere, maybe a restaurant. She had not eaten all day and her stomach was at a point where it was begging for food. But maybe this was good. She could explore her new home and settle down before she met him.

“I can wait at his apartment,” she answered softly. 

Hazel simply nodded and continued to drive.

Vanya tapped her foot, looking through the window as the buildings changed from rundown to more and more luxurious. 

In the uncomfortable silence, she considered asking him about his boss. Being the head of security, he must know him well.

“What can you tell me, abut Mr. Hargreeves?” she asked, breaking the silence.

Hazel didn’t seem at all shocked by her question. Given her situation, he probably knew she had plenty of them.

“He’s tough, yet fair. He’s a good boss.” Hazel gave her a brief glance over the rearview mirror. “As a person… well.”

He shrugged one shoulder.

“It’s best that you see for yourself.”

That did not make her feel any better, but she supposed he was right. She should wait and meet him herself and formulate her own thoughts about him. 

Both of them remained silent for the rest of the ride. 

Once they arrived at what must be the apartment, Vanya peered up at it from her seat, her mouth slightly parted. The building was tall and massive, the apartment full of shiny windows. By her reaction, one would think she had never seen such a building. That wasn’t true, of course. She had just never seen one like it from up close, much less knowing that she would live there. There was always a clear divide between the poor and the rich, especially for her, an orphan. It was insane to think that she went from her small, rundown apartment to this. 

“This is where Mr. Hargreeves lives?” She asked in awe. 

Hazel nodded, his eyes glued to the road as he parked.

“Yes, he also owns the whole building.” 

_‘Of course, he does’_ she thought to herself, not at all surprised. 

Once the limo came to a stop, she nearly opened her door and exited but then remembered that she was in a limo and that Hazel was making his way to her door to hold it open. It felt odd and made her wonder what else she would have to get used to. 

Once she was out, she pulled the bag over her shoulder and looked up at Hazel, who was making his way towards the building.

“Come on,” he waved her forward. “I’ll walk you to the apartment.”

Vanya quickened her step until she was right beside him. 

“You don’t have to.” 

He gave her a half shrug and smiled.

“It’s no biggie, it’s my job after all.” 

She said nothing else and followed him, although she gave out a sigh and deflated slightly. She was worried that she would need to search around the massive building for the apartment. Although, she suspected he lived in the penthouse. 

Once they got inside the lobby, Vanya stared around them in awe at the marvel floors, the large shiny chandelier and how shiny and pretty everything was. Beside her, Hazel smiled. However, everyone else stopped and stared at her. Unlike the people at her apartment, who watched her with interest and almost awe, these sneered and looked down their noses at her. Vanya slouched and kept her gaze down, feeling self-conscious of her button-up shirt and jeans. She stood out like a sore thumb. 

When she saw the elevators, she thought they would walk to one of them, but Hazel took them down a different hallway until he arrived at one elevator and placed a key inside the lock cylinder and pressed a button. She figured this elevator was a private one that would take them straight to Mr. Hargreeves’s apartment. Talk about luxury. 

Waiting for the elevator, she tapped her hand against her thigh and turned to look up at Hazel. 

“So, any tips, or advice you can give me?”

Hazel turned and gave her a considering look, only for it to soften as he seemed almost sorry for her. 

“I’ve worked for the Hargreeves all my life. Before I was employed by Five, I worked for his father.” He took a deep breath. “Again, there’s not much I can offer you except that he’s a bit of a perfectionist. He likes to keep his living, and workspace clean. He’s not a clean freak by any means, but again, he expects everything to be perfect.” 

Vanya did her best not to sigh or shake her head, or show any signs of disappointment or annoyance. 

That’s just wonderful. Five Hargreeves was a perfection freak, and she was the most imperfect person on the planet, just great. The matchmaking computer must have gotten their names mixed up or something. 

“But if it’s any consolation, I think he’ll like you.” 

she perked up at that, her brow rising.

“Why is that?”

He shrugged.

“You’re different from anything he’s ever met before, you’ll be an enigma for him, I’m sure.”

She said nothing else but thought about what Hazel said. Why on earth would Mr. Hargreeves, a man that no doubt had met all kinds of interesting characters throughout his life, find her interesting? There was nothing interesting about her, and it wasn’t because she was being self-deprecating. It was the truth. 

Once the elevator arrived, she walked inside, expecting Hazel to accompany her, but he stayed put. 

“Mr. Hargreeves should be home in a few hours, for now, you are free to explore the apartment and make yourself at home,” he gave her a small smile. “Have a good day.” 

With that, the doors to the elevators slid closed, and she was left alone. Giving out a deep exhale, she pressed her back against the wall and stared at the numbers as the elevator went higher and higher. 

What the hell had that damn computer gotten her into? This wasn’t her, the luxury, the money, not to mention that she was going to enter her future alpha’s apartment while she still hadn’t even met or seen him in person. She didn’t want to be a pessimist, but those were bad signs. 

When the elevator dinged, it took her a second to realize that she had arrived. Staring through the opened doors, she just stood there looking at the lavish foyer before her. Sofas and armchairs with coffee tables made up the foyer, all of them of the highest quality. Worried that the elevator would close and she wouldn’t have a way to get back to the apartment, she walked inside.

Almost as soon as she took the first step, the scent of the apartment’s occupant wafted towards her, making her jaw clench and her muscle stiffen. 

The scent was light, but still very much there. If she had to describe it, she would say it was musky, almost earthy, something she hadn’t expected from someone that spent most of his time inside an office. Regardless, she found she liked the scent; it calmed her a little, a reaction she didn’t find odd. The purpose of an alpha’s scent was to calm and subdue omegas. Sure, the presence of an unknown alpha put her on edge, but their scent always called to her on a deeper level. 

As the elevator closed and locked behind her, she heard the telltale sound of paws contacting the marvel floor. Lifting her head, she watched as a large, imposing Doberman, Hazel, had said nothing about, padded up to her. Vanya pressed herself against the elevator door. She loved dogs, but she wasn’t sure if this one was friendly or not. 

“Hey there,” she said nervously as the dog approached her, sniffed her hand and sat in front of her, watching her intently. 

He didn’t seem to have any intentions of hurting her, so she pushed herself off the wall and knelt, matching the dog’s height. He didn’t act with hostility at her sudden movement or their closeness.

She looked him over but found no collar.

“What’s your name?” She asked the dog, fully knowing that he couldn’t answer, he simply licked his nose and continued to watch her with interest. 

Slowly, Vanya stretched out her hand and rubbed his ear. Once again, he didn’t act with hostility as he leaned into her touch, a blissful expression on his face. The corner of her lips pulled into a smile. 

“Can you show me around?”

The dog did a head tilt, intrigued by her. Of course, he didn’t understand her, but he stayed by her side as she made her way down to the apartment. 

Vanya walked through the apartment, in awe of everything she saw. In her short life, she had seen nothing this luxurious. Every appliance was a state-of-the-art, the furniture was expensive and lavish, he even had a large terrace with a pool. She wasn’t much of a swimmer, but that was luxury right there. As she made her way through the rooms, she felt odd, as if she was intruding, but if this was to be her home, then she had the right to explore it. 

After having seen all the rooms, stopping briefly at a bedroom where the scent was the strongest and she knew it was his bedroom, she found another more modest bedroom and settled down there. There were more luxurious and larger rooms, but this one reminded her more of her own because of its size. 

As she laid down on the very comfortable bed, with her new friend by her side, she thought about the owner of the apartment. 

She knew Five Hargreeves was the owner of the Umbrella corp, and therefore a billionaire, but she somehow didn’t expect this level of wealth. He must have had everything handed to him on a silver platter. She doubted he ever had to work hard in his life or had to stand on his feet for hours on end. Never had to struggle to pay the bills, to think where his next food would come from. And at that thought, she wondered how they would even get along. They came from very different walks of life. Sure, she knew he was adopted, as was she, but he got to live in a mansion, while she got to live in a one-bedroom apartment with her foster mom and brother, not to mention the asshole al- 

Shaking her head, she took a deep breath. She rather not think about that right now, not when her mother’s situation was so similar to her’s. 

She remained in her room, exploring it and looking out the window at the view. Sometimes she would pet the dog, who she found was nothing but a sweetheart. As the city lights turned on, and the sun went down, she laid back on her bed and fell asleep. It was a mere few minutes later that the dog perked up suddenly from his sitting position and jumped off the bed and disappeared through the doorway. 

Vanya stared at the door, wondering what had caught his attention, but then she heard the elevator ding and her heart jumped to her throat. Five Hargreeves was home. 

“Are you kidding me?!” A voice roared, coming from the foyer. 

Vanya froze. Slowly she made her way to the foyer, a little shaky. This is it. She was finally going to meet her future mate and alpha.

She heard a few shacky mumbles, followed by furious murmurs she couldn’t pick up on.

“Well, tell Dott she is lucky to even have a job, I would have fired her on the spot.”

Vanya walked through the archway and into the foyer. A man, she assumed was Five Hargreeves, stood by the door, his hand on his hip and a phone on his ear. He wore a black suit and shiny shoes. His hair, no doubt swept back at one point, hung over one eye from having mussed it too many times. His jaw was sharp, his green eyes piercing. His furrowed brows terrified her with how angry they made him look. 

The dog was circling him, his cropped tail wagging at an incredible speed, his tongue out from all the excitement as it greeted its owner.

“Tell her I expect a full report on my des-”

Before he could finish, his eyes landed on her, and he froze. Whoever was on the other end kept talking, but Five didn’t listen. 

“I’ll call you back,” he mumbled and hung up the phone. 

For the longest time, they both simply stared at each other. Unable to stand the silence, she licked her lips and spoke.

“H-hi,” she mumbled awkwardly, unsure how to proceed. 

He didn’t say a word, not so much as made any signs of having heard her as he approached her slowly, his back bent forward a little, eyes set on hers as if she was a deer he didn’t want to spook with sudden movements. Whatever it was she thought of saying next died out in her mouth as the hairs of the back of her neck stood on end and the omega stirred within her, staring at the alpha before her inquisitively. As he got closer, she even got this strange urge to turn and run.

From where he was she could smell his cologne clinging to him, but that was nothing compared to his scent, which made every nerve in her body tingle.

Heartbeat rising, she watched him and her breathing quickened. Once he was in front of her, looming over her seeing as he was taller, she closed her eyes tightly shut and waited, her heart stuck in her throat. She knew what was to happen next. There was no point fighting it. And yet she couldn’t stump down the fear that rose within her. She once heard that getting a mating mark was painful.

The alpha shifted in front of her and she felt his hot breath against her skin as he got closer to her neck. Absolutely every muscle in her body tightened. Any moment now she would feel the painful bite of dull teeth against her scent gland, a part of her that had remained untouched until now. However, when she didn’t feel his teeth bite down, just a long sniff from him and a lick followed by a soft kiss on her scent gland that made her toes curl, her eyes snapped open. Once they focused from the strong lights above them, she realized he was no longer in front of her but walking away without so much as saying a word.

Vanya stared at the hallway he had disappeared to, her eyes wide, mouth hanging open. 

What?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Five, leaving Vanya all hot and bothered. Truly a crime. Let’s see how long Five can stay away from her though. 
> 
> I actually really love writing this fic, love the world-building!


	3. Chapter 3

The next few days had been oddly uneventful. 

For reasons unknown to her, Mr. Hargreeves continued to ignore her. She thought that should be good, that he wasn’t forcing the mating mark or her or pushing her to his bed as the government expected him to do, but was actually respecting her boundaries. Unfortunately, she knew that couldn’t be so. In a few days, the government officials might pay them a visit. When they realize they had not followed the law…. Well, she honestly didn’t want to find out what would happen then. 

She wanted to tell him so, to tell him he needed to give her the mating mark for both of their sake, but she barely saw him. The only times she did were when they ate on the opposite ends of the large dining table, or when he was leaving the apartment to go to work, or at least that’s what she assumed. From what she learned about him and his routine was that he woke up early, had breakfast with a large helping of coffee. He then went to what she guessed was work, leaving the apartment to her for most of the day. When he returned, it was usually the evening. While in the apartment he spent a good portion of the time on his phone, yelling or growling at someone, no doubt his employees. After a few rounds of yelling, he had dinner with her, ignoring her. In fact, he seemed dead set on pretending she wasn’t there, as he didn’t so much as meet her gaze. After that, he retired to his office to return to his yelling. It was like he enjoyed hurting his coral cords. 

As for her, she spent every second of her day alone, well, mostly alone. At least she had her companion, the dog who she learned was named Mr. Pennycrumb. When she first heard Five bark his name, calling him over to take him out for a walk, she thought it had been a joke but then saw that he was completely serious. She didn’t think less of him; she thought it was cute. 

Other than Mr. P, she really had no one else to talk to, unless she called Diego, which wasn’t an improvement. He spent most of their conversation trying to convince her to leave or cursing Five. She tried to tell him he had done nothing to her, that he was just ignoring her, but he didn’t care. So in the end, talking to Diego didn’t make things better. She felt so isolated and alone in the large penthouse, not to mention anxious, she felt the urge to build a nest to comfort her. 

Building a nest was arduous work, but she had years of experience, having made various nests when she was young and living with her mom. It also helped that she had nothing better to do. 

As she made the foundation of her nest, she used every blanket in her room, but when that wasn’t enough she scavenged for more pillows and blankets, she didn’t think Mr. Hargreeves would mind. So she went to every empty room and took the blankets and pillows, leaving the room empty. In the end, she had layers upon layers of soft blankets and pillows. Once she finished, she laid down on it, rolling her body into a little ball in the middle, covered by the thick blankets. She nearly let out a satisfied sigh, but she felt she still needed something. She spent a long while lying in her nest, confused. 

For days now she had been craving something, and she didn’t know what it was. Of course, her more primal side seemed to know what that was but she still wasn’t in tune with it. So when the realization hit her, her toes curled at the thought of it.

What she wanted was something every omega craved, the scent of an alpha, more specifically, the alpha to whom the apartment belonged to. She had since the moment his scent invaded her senses and that time he licked her neck. 

Of course, seeing as this was his home, the entire penthouse had his scent, and that made it more difficult for her. It made her want to find a blanket, or better yet, his clothes so she could roll around on them or nuzzle them. That need was so strong it made her gasp and blush. She had experienced nothing like that before, but then again she had never been that close to an alpha.

After that first meeting, for reason unknown to her, the omega within her seemed convinced that the alpha was a good mate candidate even though she didn’t even know him. She didn’t find that so odd. Instincts controlled her omega side, not social construct. Still, she wanted to stomp that need down, but it was nearly impossible, and so she did something about it instead of stew.

The next day she asked the maid that came in the morning to clean if she could relay a message to Mr. Hargreeves for her, seeing as she was too scared to do it herself. The friendly woman had smiled and nodded. What Vanya asked was for a few articles of clothing, or items that had his scent on them. She wasn’t sure if she was crossing a line by asking for things that belonged to him to put in her nest. But then she remembered she was technically his mate or was supposed to be, so such a request wasn’t too much. Still, she spent that entire day stressing, thinking that she was way out of line. However, the next day she nearly stumbled on her way out the door with the piles of clothes, and items piled in front of it. Every single item had his scent on them. The amount of stuff he sent her was excessive, and she was sure if it would all fit inside her nest, but it overjoyed a part of her ruled by instincts. In the end, she covered her nest with his clothes and items, while she laid under it, completely covered in thick alpha scent. In the entire week, she had been in this strange apartment, with the alpha that was supposed to be her mate and should have mated by now, she felt at peace. 

When the door to her room opened, she turned and watched as Mr. P walked up to her nest and jumped up on her bed. She smiled as he laid down beside her, chocolate brown eyes looking at her. In the quiet and coldness of the apartment, he had become her one loyal friend.

“What can you tell me about your owner?” She asked Mr. P, who made a head tilt. Vanya narrowed her eyes. “That’s it? That’s all you gotta say? Nothing?”

Mr. P blinked. He licked her face, and she scrunched up her nose, while her lips pulled into a grin. Stretching out her arm, she petted him behind his ear, a favourite of his seeing as he leaned into her touch. He was a good boy. Despite the maid telling her that it was her job to fill up his food and water bowl, Vanya always did it. She always wanted a dog. She remembered how she and Diego would beg their mother for one, but she would always say no. Once she moved out, she wanted to get one, but she never had the money nor did she live in an apartment that allowed them. So now that she did, well, sort of, she didn’t mind filling out his bowl or playing with him. Come to think of it, he hadn’t gone for a walk yet. Mr. Hargreeves usually took him out in the morning, but she guessed he had to leave early. Poor Mr. P.

Vanya leaned in and pet his head.

“Do you want to go outside?” She asked, and he instantly quirked up. That made her smile widen.

She wasn’t told she wasn’t allowed to go outside, and she didn’t see an issue with walking him. Of course, with her height and lack of strength, he could easily overpower her. But Mr. P was clearly very well trained and wouldn’t pull on the leash or attack anyone. 

Leaving her comfortable nest, she searched for his collar. When she couldn’t find it, she turned only to find Mr. P holding it in his mouth, tail wagging. Vanya shook her head and placed the lavish leather collar on him. Once she had everything, she took the key she assumed was for the elevator, seeing as Mr. Hargreeves always took them whenever he left the apartment and made her way out. 

This time, as she made her way through the lobby, people didn’t stare at her with disgust as they did before, instead, they seemed to ignore her. She didn’t know if it was because she was better dressed, or if it was because of Mr. P, who seemed to glare at everyone with a dangerous intensity. She was going to guess the latter. There was also the fact that people no doubt recognized Mr. P as Mr. Hargreeves' dog. It wouldn’t do to piss off the man that owned the entire building by being rude to her, but then again, she doubted Mr. Hargreeves would care.

As she walked through the glass doors, the summer breeze air pushed her hair back. Vanya sighed. Even Mr. P seemed more relaxed and happy as he perked up, and his pace became bouncy. 

Their walk went relatively uneventful. They went to the park nearby and walked for what felt like minutes, but as she checked her phone, she realized an hour had passed. After finishing one last round of fetch, she made her way back to the apartment. As always, a few people stared at her.

Once she got back to the elevator, she inserted the key. Her shoulders fell as the elevator dinged, telling it that the key worked. The last thing she needed was to be stuck with no way up and needing to get someone to help her. 

Once she got inside the elevator, she tapped her hand against her thigh as she waited. The apartment was overly tall, so it took more time to reach the penthouse. She didn’t know Mr. Hargreeves, but it almost felt like he was trying to make a statement. 

When Mr. P suddenly whined, Vanya glanced down at him. 

“What’s wrong?”

As always, her conversation was one-sided as he gazed up at her and tilted his head, then returned his attention to the elevator doors.

‘Odd,’ Vanya thought.

When the door to the elevator opened, she raised her head and made to step out of the elevator. However, when her eyes landed, not on the foyer, but a broad chest, Vanya froze. Slowly, she craned her neck until she met a set of blazing green eyes. Mr. Hargreeves was standing before her, his posture straight, making him seem more intimidating than usual. 

To say his closeness conflicted her reaction was an understatement. On one side her omega instincts seemed to purr at his proximity, but on the other side, she just froze there like a statue, staring at him like a deer caught in headlights. 

Mr. Hargreeves brows, which she had learned was a scary trait of his, were furrowed as he stared at her with what she could only describe as ire. A shiver ran down her spine and not in a good way. With how tall and imposing he was, he was truly frightening. It didn’t help that she remembered all those times he had screamed at some poor soul. It made her anxious as if anything could set him off and he would start yelling at her as he did with the phone. 

“Where were you?” He asked, breaking the silence. 

His baritone voice made her jump a little, more so than all those times she heard him scream at someone over the phone. She realized it was because it was the first time he had spoken to her directly. For more than a week they had been living together, and this was the first time he had spoken to her. 

“-er- walking Mr-”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” He cut her off, angry brows sinking further together. 

Vanya opened her mouth, but he didn’t seem to want to hear her response as he continued, his voice sharp and commanding.

“You’re not to leave this apartment, at least not on your own, and much less without my knowledge.”

Vanya just stood there, mouth slightly open as she stared at him dumbfounded. Beside her, Mr. P was pressing his ears against his head as he lowered his head. 

With the clearly pissed-off alpha before her, his scent turning almost sour from it, her omega side was screaming at her to submit to the much larger and stronger alpha before her. It also didn’t help that it had made up its mind about accepting him as his mate. Stupid instincts. Vanya did none of that, she wanted to ask why he wouldn’t let her go out on her own, but she already guessed the answer. He was an alpha. All alphas felt the overwhelming need to order people around, especially omegas. That put her on edge.

Vanya grit her teeth. 

“So I’m a prisoner?” She wanted to sound angry, to put some inflation on her voice, but all she could manage was a squeaky, clearly scared voice. Damn it.

Upon hearing her fear, she thought that would encourage him to loom over her and become even more imposing to force her to back down as she had seen countless alphas do to other people. Instead, he sighed, exhaustion showing through in his eyes.

“No,” he breathed, his voice much softer than she had ever heard it. He almost sounded like a completely distinct person. “I’m not saying you can’t go outside, I’m just saying you shouldn’t do so alone.”

For a long while, they both just stared at each other, while Mr. P glanced from one to the other. 

“Who am I supposed to go with?” She asked, her voice soft.

The _you_? Was on the tip of her tongue, but she bit it back. She didn’t want to assume anything. She knew what this was, how much he disliked her. That thought saddened a part of her, but she was perfectly alright with that. She didn’t like him either. After spending a week living with him, she knew why Hazel didn’t want to tell her anything about him. Five Hargreeves was nothing but an entitled, arrogant, rich boy who clearly treated everyone as if they were inferior. She wanted nothing to do with a man like that, no matter how much her omega side seemed to almost purr at the very sight of him. If they ever did mate, if he could stomach the very thought of it that is, she would do the bare minimum to bear children and that’s it. If all she had to do was have children to keep the government happy, then that’s what she would do. No one said anything about getting along with her alpha or even like him. 

After watching her for a good few seconds, Mr. Hargreeves took a step back and pushed his hair back, schooling his expression into an icy one, the one he usually looked at her with.

“Tomorrow I’ll have my assistant get you a phone. In it there’ll be every possible contact you’ll need, including the head of security. In the future, if you ever need to go outside, call him first.”

She said nothing as he turned on the spot and walked away, leaving her and Mr. P standing by the elevator. Despite having made her thoughts about him, her stomach twisted when he didn’t offer to accompany her, sending Hazel to do it instead. Again. 

“When are you going to do it?” She blurted, unsure when she had decided to ask that. 

She watched as he paused but didn’t turn to face her. His shoulder tensed. 

“Do what?”

She took in a deep breath. He knew very well what she meant. 

“When are you going to give me the mating mark?” She asked, anger making it through her voice. “The law says-”

“I know what the law says.” He snapped and peered at her over his shoulder, his eyes sharp, making her shut her lips close _. “I_ will decide when to give you the mating mark.”

That answer didn’t shock her one bit. Typical alpha behaviour. 

“Can you at least tell me why you’re waiting?” 

This time he didn’t answer as he rounded the corner and disappeared. Vanya just let out a deep sigh, her shoulders falling. 

Ever since she presented as an omega, she knew this would happen. That this would be the worst day of her life, but this was worse than she thought. Being forced to be with someone was bad enough, being forced to be with someone that clearly couldn’t even stand the sight of her was even worse. 

Letting out another sigh, Vanya led Mr. P into the apartment. 

To think that this was only the first week of the rest of her life. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Five is being a bit of an asshole, no shock there. I guess time will tell why he's acting so icy towards Vanya. 
> 
> Thank you guys for all your comments, I'm glad you're all liking this fic!!


	4. Chapter 4

“You have a meeting with the board at six o’clock today,” Dolores reminded him. 

Five continued to sign papers as he nodded, his brow twitching. All of those who knew him and all of those who didn’t could tell that he was in a foul mood by just his expression. Sure, he was often in a foul mood. But it wasn’t always so.

His day started well, with some hot chick in his bed he had met at a club the night before and who didn’t seem to realize that she was supposed to be gone already. Still, who was he to complain when she wrapped her lips around him? Just when he felt himself about to tip over the edge who else but Klaus called him. He had considered letting the phone ring, but he knew Klaus was persistent, he would keep on calling him until he picked up.

Telling the woman not to stop, he picked up the phone. The reason for his older brother’s call was for the usual. He was asking for money.

After their father died, he left nearly nothing to Klaus, and he couldn’t blame him. With all the drugs and his expensive parties, Klaus spent more money than he could earn, not that he earned any seeing as he didn’t work. He was always the failure out of all of them. Well, in their father’s eyes they were all failures, but Klaus was more so than the rest. So it was no shock that he nearly left him out of his will. Honestly, Five thought he was being a little too gracious. If he had a son like Klaus, he wouldn’t have left him anything. 

As his brother practically begged, not above such a thing despite being a Hargreeves and Hargreeves do not beg, their father’s number one rule among many, his brow had twitched. Eventually, he lost his already short patience and yelled at him he wouldn’t send him any money this time, not so he could spend it on drugs and killing himself slowly and hung up the phone. 

With his mood soured, he pushed the woman off of him and dismissed her without a second glance before he could come. After that, he took a cold shower. Finish the job the woman was doing poorly, anyway. He put on his suit and went to work. Even his commute was riddled with stress as various employees called him to inform him how they weren’t doing their fucking job properly and expected him to fix it. He nearly got into two accidents just yelling at them over the phone. 

Once he arrived at the office, he was short-tempered and everyone could tell, so they stayed clear of him. People all around him parted like the Red Sea as he passed them by. Once he settled inside his office, he had taken out his phone and transferred Klaus a portion of the money he asked for. He may be a stupid junkie that would wind up dead in a street alley one day, but he still had a soft spot for all of his siblings. 

After that, his day went just as miserable, but then again it didn’t shock him. All it took was one asshole to mess up his day to start a ripple effect of idiots messing up his day. 

After his usual meeting, he retired to his office, hearing the way everyone sighed as he disappeared behind the large doors. 

Five continued to sign paper after paper, the pile in front of him just seemed to have no end. Of course, just as he was halfway through, Dolores dropped another pile on his desk, sending all the other documents flying. He paused and blinked for a second, composing himself as he let out a sigh and leaned forward in his seat. His eyes instantly narrowed when they landed on the magazine on top of the pile. 

It was some unknown publisher, one that liked to gossip and talk shit about celebrities. On the cover, there was an ungraceful picture of him with his date from last week, some German model he couldn’t remember the name of. 

_Five Hargreeves, a brilliant, eccentric billionaire and arrogant womanizer with no sense of respect._

He didn’t care to read more, as he grabbed it between his fingers and placed it inside the shredder, glaring at the remains. 

“If you had actually read it, I think even you might have found it amusing. I sure did,” Dolores mused. 

Five took the first paper from the pile and began to read it. 

“I don’t have time for amusement.” 

He could just feel her rolling her eyes at him, but she said nothing on the matter, which was odd. Dolores wasn’t known for staying out of his business. One would think that a man like him, prone to bursts of anger, would want an assistant that was pliant and stayed out of his business, but it was quite the opposite. There was also the fact that they had been friends for as long as he could remember. 

“Oh, this also came for you,” she said. 

Five didn’t so much as look up as he pointed at the pile with his pen.

“Put it in the pile.”

“You’re going to want to read this one now,” she insisted. 

“Is it a letter from any of our top business partners?”

“No,” she drawled.

“Well then, you know what to do with it th-”

“It’s from the government,” 

If it had been anyone else, he would have dismissed her, maybe even fired her for interrupting him. But this was Dolores, so he looked up from his reading and took the letter from her. When his eyes landed on the government seal, they narrowed. Why the hell was the government sending him letters, again? 

Tearing the letter open with little finesse, his eyes quickly read through it, shifting from one side to the other at an incredible speed. His brows sank further and further together the further down the letter he went. Once he was finally done, he clenched his jaw, a tidal of anger rising within him, ready to destroy everything around him. This was just what he needed in his already shitty day.

“What the hell is this?” He asked, raising his eyes from the letter to her.

Dolores cocked a brown.

“It’s a letter from the breeding program, telling y-”

“I know what it is,” he growled and threw the letter on his desk. “But why is it being sent to me?!”

Before she could answer, Five rose from his chair and paced, his hand going straight to his hair to push it back. Meanwhile, Dolores made herself comfortable and sat on the chair across from him. Her legs folded, as she took the letter and read it. 

“Well, apparently you were paired with an omega called Vanya Carter.”

Dolores made a face, no doubt confused by the Russian first name and the American last name. But she didn’t comment. Meanwhile, Five couldn’t care less what her name was, or who she was. Why the fuck was he, Five Hargreeves, being paired with her? The chances of being paired with an omega were astronomical, there was no way the government didn’t do this on purpose. They’ve always wanted to get him somehow, and now they have. 

“Fuck!” He growled, standing by the window, watching the city under him. “Who the hell do they think they are?”

“Hmm, the government?” Dolores answered, frowning as her lips pulled into a half-amused smile. 

“This is ridiculous!” 

“Why are you so angry? Most alphas would be ecstatic to hear the news.”

He stopped and glanced over his shoulder to glare at her. The intensity behind his eyes must have shown her exactly what he was thinking, seeing as her smile fell and all the amusement drained out of her in mere seconds.

“You know _very_ well why.” 

Dolores pressed her plum red lips together.

“He’s been dead for three years, don’t you think it’s time you moved on?”

He tch and returned to glaring out the window. Dolores sighed.

“You don’t have any other choice, Five.”

Five shook his head. No other choice. What the hell did that even mean?

“No one tells me what to do,” he growled, fully aware that he sounded like his thirteen-year-old self, but he didn’t care. 

Dolores rolled her eyes. 

“I’ll make all the necessary preparations. It says here that she’ll need to move in within a week.”

Five grit his teeth but say nothing as Dolores stood up, her heel clicking against the floor as she made her way to the door.

He wanted to argue further, to tell her not to bother, but he knew she was right, there was nothing he could do. That only made the fiery knot inside him tangle itself tighter. 

“Keep this whole thing under wraps, I don’t want the entire world knowing that I’m being forced to be with some tramp like I’m the government’s lapdog,” he growled, his eyes narrowed as he stared out the window. 

The heels came to a stop. 

“We wouldn’t want that, now would we?” She said sarcastically. “But if it did, with all the other _real_ tramps you’ve slept with, what’s one more, right?” 

She said nothing more, as he heard the door slide open and the soft click that followed it. 

Just fucking great.

* * *

The next few days had been a nightmare. He was constantly on edge, thinking about the omega’s arrival. He had even snapped at a member of the board, which wasn’t rare but definitely not something he enjoyed making a habit of. When the actual day of her arrival came, he had barely slept. All night he had been thinking about the injustice of it all. Of him being forced to be with some stranger, a nobody no less. 

The rest of his day went uneventful, except for that emergency board meeting he was thankful for. It kept him away from the eventual meeting. Unfortunately for him, the meeting didn’t go for as long as he would like, so he made his way to a bar instead. He had a few drinks there; it was only after he felt a soft buzz that he forced himself out of the bar. The last thing he needed was to get blackout drunk and make another scene for the media to publicize. He did however consider taking the syringe that was hiding in a compartment of the limo to mellow himself, but the small and distant voice in his head told him it was a bad idea to meet the omega while high. It also didn’t help that he kept thinking about his brother, again.

 _‘How about you look at yourself in the mirror for once? At least I stay away from the more serious shit!’_ Klaus would tell him every time Five scolded him for being a junkie. But what did he know? It wasn’t like he was addicted or anything, he just took it occasionally. Usually when the stress became too much for him.

When he finally reached his apartment, he of course got a call from one of his employees, telling him that Dot made another mistake. He honestly wasn’t sure how she wasn’t fired yet, probably because of all the sensitive information she had, which made her more dangerous out there among all their competitors.

With all the arguing and one-sided yelling, as the useless employee, he didn’t even know the name of simply remained silent, no doubt shaking like a leaf. He had forgotten all about the omega. So when the elevator dinged and opened on his floor, he petted Mr. P behind the ear to greet him, feeling some tension leave him as he did. However, when his eyes landed on the petite woman standing by the archway, it was like the very air had been punched out of him and then some. 

He had of course seen her picture before, seeing as Dolores researched everything about her. But that lousy picture did not prepare him for the real thing. 

Vanya, the omega, was a petite, short woman with brown long hair, remnants of bangs hanging over her eyes, covering them partially. Her attire was atrocious, he had seen janitors that dressed better, but that didn’t matter. None of it did, because as soon as her scent reached him it was like the most potent drug he had ever consumed, nearly sending him to his knees. 

It didn’t matter that his company was on the brink of collapse, well that was more than an exaggeration, as he simply hung up the phone. Whatever work he had to deal with, he would deal with it tomorrow. 

He remembered she had said something before he stalked towards her, but for the life of him, he couldn’t remember. All he could remember was her wide, Bambi eyes as her muscles tensed, ready to leap away from him. Oh, how he wished she would have run. The alpha side of him yearned for it, yearned for a good run so he could catch her and sink himself inside her. Thankfully, she didn’t do that. Smart of her really, otherwise he wasn’t sure if he could have helped himself. It also made a strange feeling of respect rise within him. He had sent other people running away from him, employees he scared witless with his ire. 

Once he had closed the distance, his mind was cloudy with the haze that her scent created. He didn’t even stop himself as he had bent down and sought the delicious scent that concentrated in her neck. He was just a bundle of instincts and animalistic urges as he had sniffed, licked and kissed her scent gland, nearly parting his lips to sink them down and claim her as his. The only thing that had stopped him from doing just that was the voice at the back of his head, his constant companion. 

It had been like a slap to the face.

Before he knew it, he had leaned away and walked away; the spell was broken as he retreated to the other side of the apartment to get as far away from her as possible. 

To say that his life had grown from difficult to impossible after that was an understatement. Every day was a struggle of staying away from the apartment’s new occupant. He wanted her, every part of him wanted her, and it didn’t help that he knew it was because of his alpha side. A side of him that wasn’t driven by logic, a part of him that just saw an unmated omega as an opportunity to claim her and make her his. He hated it, hated that he was controlled by his needs, that he couldn’t so much as focus on his work. He didn’t even know her; yet she already had a strong claim on him. Such a small, little shy thing. It made no sense. It wasn’t logical. It was absurd. She was just some girl, just an omega. 

It’s not like she was the first omega he had ever come across either. Despite the government’s short leash on omegas, there were some who turned to prostitution. It was difficult, but when one is desperate for money, anything is possible. And besides, an omega’s service was nowhere cheap, even by his standards. So yes, he had fucked omegas before, so why was this one so different? 

Despite everything, he thought he had done a good job of staying composed and away from her until the maid knocked on his door and told him about Vanya’s request. The growl that escaped his lips sent the maid scampering off as she misinterpreted his reaction, but he barely paid her any mind. All his thoughts were on her. 

Did she not understand what asking for his scent meant? What it did to him? Of course not, she was just an innocent omega. A damn, innocent, virgin omega that didn’t know any better. 

Five groaned, his hard-on clear in his pants. 

He wanted nothing more than to go to her and put his scent all over her. To make sure anyone who saw her would know she belonged to him and no one else. To stake his claim, as it was his right. To bite her on her neck and leave a lovely mark for the world to se-

“Fuck,” he growled, throwing his pen across the desk, both his hands going straight to his hair, his nails digging on his scalp. 

Knowing that he would not get any work done unless he took care of himself, he pushed the chair back, nearly sending it tumbling, and stormed to his room.

There was no finesse as he pulled his pants down and got on his bed. He barely even squirted some lube on his hand as he jerked himself off. 

He thought about her, about her scent, her sideway glances she was no doubt sure he didn’t catch. The way she would shyly downcast her gaze, her damn scent that clung to his apartment.

His grip on himself tightened as his strokes grew rough. Like a fucking teenager, he spilled onto the sheets with no time at all. As he stared at the mess he made, he thought about giving her the soiled sheets with his seed on them, so she could roll on them and let his scent cling to her. The very thought made him growl and buck his hip into the air, even though his knot had formed. The only reason he didn’t rip the sheets from his bed and roll them into a neat present was that he knew it was too much. She was an omega that had no sexual interactions with anyone; he didn’t want to scare her. So in the end he grabbed every single article of clothes and all the other sheets and pillows and told the maid to give them to her, leaving him with just his suit and a pair of boxer shorts. He didn’t mind, he could send someone to buy him some more clothes. 

After that first time of, well, taking matters into his own hands, he started to do it more and more frequently. It came to the point that he tried to distract himself with other women, but it proved futile. Every woman he encountered didn’t satisfy him. None of them had the sweet scent of the omega living in his apartment that somehow burrowed itself to his very core. 

In the end, he dismissed them all, leaving him more frustrated than before. And then, of course, she had to leave the apartment without so much as telling him. Did she not understand the kinds of dangers there were outside the apartment? How many assholes would give anything to get their hands on an omega? Of course not. She was just a wide-eyed, innocent omega that thought the world was full of sunshine and rainbows. Just the thought of anyone hurting her nearly sent him running out of his apartment to find her. The only thing that kept him rooted on the spot was the voice at the back of his head. That voice that was so familiar despite not having heard it in three years. 

Once she made it back, he was beyond furious. So why on earth did he not unleash that famous anger of his on her? Even he didn’t know. He didn’t know why he was being so soft to her. Telling her she wasn’t a prisoner, that he was just worried about her. Fuck that! He was the alpha; she was going to stay inside because he fucking said so, and that was that. The next time he saw her, he would tell her so. 

The next time he saw her, he said no such thing. 

Instead, the next morning, as he made his way to the kitchen, she bumped into him, and like the helpless klutz that she was, she tripped on her toes. She would have fallen straight on her face if he wasn’t fast on his feet as he grabbed her arm and pulled her towards him.

He wanted to tell her to fucking watch where she was going, but all he could manage was a halfhearted growl as he carefully set her back on her feet and walked away before he did anything he would regret. 

For the rest of the day, the event repeated in his head like a movie, fantasizing about different sceneries. So when Dolores texted him she was coming over, he couldn’t help but let out a deep sigh. He needed all the distractions he could get to keep him from thinking about the omega. 

“So how are things with Vanya? I take it you two have spent little time out of bed,” Dolores mused, leaning back on the office armchair. 

Five set his jaw. 

For the last week, he hadn’t gone to work, Dolores had forced him to take the week off to get to know his new omega. Well jokes on her, because he spent all that time out and about to get away from Vanya. 

“We haven’t,” he murmured, scratching the back of his head. 

“Haven’t what? Haven’t spent any time out of bed?”

Five shook his head and sighed.

“We haven’t had sex yet.”

Despite having seen him at his worst, and witnessing all sorts of scandals, Dolores’s brow shot up. Shocked for once. 

“Really? How so?”

Five sighed again and sat on the ottoman by the unlit fireplace. He knew she would not take the news well. She was his friend and the same age as him, but she sure liked to act like his mom. 

“Well, I haven’t given her the mark yet.”

For a long while, Dolores just stared at him, her mouth hanging open.

“Come again,” she breathed, and Five rolled his eyes.

“ _I_ haven’t given her the mark yet, Dolores.” 

The office stayed quiet for the longest time. 

“Why?” She asked sharply and Five nearly winced. “Have you even tried to talk to her?”

He didn’t respond, but he didn’t need to. She already knew.

“Seriously Five? of all the times to practice abstinence?”

Five growled.

“What else did you expect? She's plain and has no personality to speak of.” Five shrugged. “The least the government could have done was pair me with someone worth my time if they were going to treat me like their personal breeding stud.” 

“Uh-huh,” Dolores drawled and shook her head. “You’re so full of shit, I saw her picture. I know she’s cute, and exactly what you need.” 

“A soft, down-to-earth woman instead of those ridiculous models you keep going out with that only want your money.”

Five scoffed. He could trust ridiculous, brain-dead models that only wanted his money. He knew what they wanted, their motive. The petite omega, however, was far more frightening. He didn’t even know what to make of her. 

“Like I don’t have enough to spare.” 

Dolores sighed, something she usually did when around him. 

“Five, come one.” She got up from her seat and settled beside him, placing her hand on his. “I’m saying this as your friend; I know you don’t like this and for good reasons, but give the poor girl a chance.” 

Five clenched his jaw and stared at her. 

He thought of all those times Dolores got him out of a tight spot before she was even his secretary. Those times she would find him hiding in the local park when they were teens, with the usual black eye and the anger on his face. An anger that was targeted at everything and anything. Or the times where he would drink until he nearly poisoned himself, or almost overdosed, not once judging him as she called Hazel to take him home. Of course, he would hear all about it the next morning. The point was, she was always there, so every time she made a request of him what else could he do but say yes?

Five took a deep breath. He was going to regret this. 

“If I have time,” he promised vaguely. 

Dolores rolled her eyes but smirked and tapped his hand before she moved it away. 

“Well, I’ve said what I needed to say, it’s time for me to go,” she got up from the chair and tucked her bag under her arm. 

“By the way, I found your stash and threw it all out.”

Five snapped his head toward her. 

“What?!” He gasped and stumbled off the ottoman. 

“Have a pleasant weekend, Five!” She sang and closed the door. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I did say Five was an asshole, didn't I? But maybe there's more to him than that? Hmmmmmmmm.


	5. Chapter 5

Vanya stared at her closet, her hands on either side of the door. It had been two weeks since she moved into the penthouse, two weeks since the start of her imprisonment. And two weeks since she wore something other than either of the three shirts and pants she had. When she came to the apartment, she brought very few clothes or toiletries. It’s not that she assumed it would be provided for her, she just thought she would get the opportunity to go buy some. However, after Mr. Hargreeves got angry at her for going out, she realized she was in a bit of a difficult situation. She couldn’t live with just three shirts and pants, she needed to go shopping. But to do that, she had to call Hazel. That was easy, she could do that. But the next step, letting Mr. Hargreeves know, wasn’t so easy. Just the thought of going to his office, where he holed himself all day every day, made her sick. But what other choice did she have?

Letting out a long sigh, she closed the closet’s doors and went to her nest. She took out her new phone and gazed at Hazel’s name on the screen.

She thought about the pros and cons. If she forced it, she could live with the clothes she had, but realistically she would have to go out and buy some. There was also the fact that if she spent the rest of her life indoors, she would lose her mind. So sooner or later, she would have to talk to the other resident of the apartment. She was only delaying the inevitable. 

Mr. P let out a soft whine as he placed his chin on her lap and gazed up at her with his big round eyes. Vanya chuckled and pet his head.

“What do you think I should do?” 

He licked his lips and she sighed and flopped back on the nest, her nose wrinkling when the alpha scent, once so prominent, was now fading. Maybe she should gather everything that’s his and return them, so he could put his scent on it again. A squeezing sensation emanated from her gut at the thought, and she closed her eyes. When her phone rang, she nearly jumped off the nest. 

Vanya raised the phone back to her face and gave out a sigh when she saw the caller ID. 

Her brother didn’t even wait for her to put the phone to her ear.

“Has the asshole done anything to you?” Diego growled, skipping the pleasantries.

Vanya rolled her eyes. Maybe she shouldn’t have picked up the phone.

“Hi, and no, he hasn’t done anything.”

She could practically visualize Diego deflating as he sighed. She knew how stressful the last few days had been for him. Worrying about her, no doubt doing his best to get inside the apartment or the place Five works just so he could talk, or more like it, beat him up because that’s just the person her brother is. 

“Good,” he paused. “So I take it that means he hasn’t given you the mark?” 

Vanya rubbed her eyes, feeling oddly tired all of a sudden. After two weeks of stressing about the mating mark, she was just done thinking about it. A few days back she told Diego that she still hadn’t received it, which made him happy, not thinking about all the repercussions that meant. 

“No, he hasn’t. Not yet.”

The line went silent for a second and Vanya frowned. She thought Diego would be glad to hear the news, so why wasn’t he saying anything?

“I see,” he said, not his usual self.

Vanya sat up in her nest. Something was definitely up.

“Is something wrong?”

No response. Vanya tightened her grip on the phone. When Diego sighed, she clenched her jaw, ready for whatever he said next

“Well, yesterday I talked to Eudora about that an-”

Vanya jumped to her feet. Beside her, Mr. P rose to his feet, his ears up and alert as he looked at her.

“You told her I haven’t received the mark?!” 

Was Diego crazy? Of all the reckless things to do. And alpha not giving their omega the mating mark was no minor offence. All the laws pertaining to the breeding program were absolute and a criminal offence for both parties. No one else could know that Mr. Hargreeves had not given her the mating mark, lest the news got out. The only reason she told Diego was that he’s her brother, and she trusted him, a bad idea it would seem. 

She just knew Diego was rolling his eyes. 

“Relax alright, Eudora is an old friend, I trust her.”

Vanya shook her head and paced about the room. 

“She’s a cop Diego, it’s her duty to tell her higher-ups if the law isn’t being followed.”

Honestly, sometimes it was like her brother never grew up. Making such dumb mistakes like that, trusting people with such sensitive information. She trusted no one, except him because he was her only family, but clearly, she was wrong to do that. When she saw Diego, she will have to talk to him about trusting people too easily. 

“Yea, but not in this case. Just trust me alright?”

Vanya let out a deep breath. She wanted to say no, but this was Diego and besides, the damage was done. What else could she lose?

“What did she say?”

“ _Like_ I was saying. I talked to Eudora, and she said there hasn’t been a case of an alpha not given their omega a mating mark, not that we have on record anyway.”

Vanya tensed up.

“So we don’t know exactly what the repercussions could be if you’re found out, but we all know they’re not pleasant.”

Diego paused, let out a deep breath, then continued.

“I can’t believe I’m saying this, but you need to talk to that asshole about this. You have to be mated Vanya, and fast. Eudora managed to pull up your file, and Representatives of the program are going to be paying you both a visit next week. If they find out you’re not mated, I don’t know what will happen.”

Her grip on the phone tightened. 

“Next week?” She asked, her voice barely audible.

What did he mean a week? How could it only be a week? That was no time at all. She couldn’t even get Mr. Hargreeves to say more than a few words to her, much less talk about the mating mark. And now she had one week to ask him again and somehow convince him. What was she supposed to do? He clearly couldn’t even stand the sight of her. 

“Yea, but if you want, I can come over myself and beat some sense into him.”

Vanya shook her head. She appreciated Diego’s help, but he would only make things worse.

“No, it’s alright I’ll talk to him.”

“Alright,” he conceded, not at all happy. “After you get the mark we can go from there and figure, the other..” he coughed. “Duties you’re expected to perform, god I think I’m gonna be sick.” 

Vanya didn’t disagree with him. Just the thought of doing... well, any of that with Mr. Hargreeves, a man that seemed to look down at her like an insect under his shoe, did not entice her. Her omega side could think whatever it wanted, but she was more than just her instincts. Still, she knew it needed to happen eventually, but she would worry about that when the time came. For now, she had to worry about the mating mark. 

“Are you sure you don’t want me to come beat him up? It’s now or never.”

She knew he was completely serious, but Vanya couldn’t help but chuckle. 

“Yea, I’m sure Diego.”

Diego huffed.

“Alright, but if you change your mind, tell me. I’ll find a way to break that asshole’s nose.”

Vanya nodded but said nothing. She knew that was only wishful thinking. She couldn’t even run away. But it still made her happy that her brother would go against the law and everyone else to protect her.

“Diego?”

“Yea?”

“Thank you.”

The line went silent for a second.

“Don’t mention it, it’s my job to protect you, remember? Mom said so.” 

The edge of her lips pulled into a soft smile. Clicking the screen, she hung up and placed the phone inside her pocket. 

In the quiet of her room, she thought about all that Diego said. She had a week, at least according to Diego’s friend. She had met Eudora a few times, mostly when she was forced to bail her brother out of jail. From what she saw, Eudora was a good person who no doubt had every right to dump her brother. She doubted she would lie about something like this, or get the information wrong. So without a doubt, in a week, a government representative was going to pay her a visit. 

Vanya groaned.

Well, now she really had no other choice but to talk to Mr. Hargreeves. 

Giving out a resigned sigh, Vanya hopped off her nest and exited her room. After weeks of wondering the enormous penthouse, her steps were sure as she made her way to the office. She had never been inside the office, nor had she even poked her head in it. With how much time he spent there, more than even his room, his scent concentrated there, which meant that it was his den. To intrude in an alpha’s den uninvited wasn’t a good idea, just as it was impolite to enter an omega’s nest without permission. 

So despite her anger towards him, and how rude he was, she gave the door two good knocks and waited for a reply. 

As expected, it took him a full ten seconds before he told her to come in, his voice low, no doubt from anger and annoyance. 

Giving her bottom lip a rough bite, she took a deep breath and pushed the door open. Slowly, she opened the door, but it made little difference. As soon as there was a small crack, the scent hit her, almost knocking her over. The omega within her stirred awake. She almost felt the need to cover her nose and not because the smell was unpleasant, quite the opposite. She felt the urge to walk inside and bask in the musky, alpha scent that permeated the room. But her grip tightened on the doorknob and she stopped the urge. 

Now, with the door fully opened, Vanya gazed inside the room, squinting her eyes with how dark it was. Just like the rest of the apartment, the office was lavishly decorated, with no expense spared. At the end of the office, Mr. Hargreeves sat behind an enormous desk which he was leaning on as he worked through a stack of papers. 

As she stood by the doorway, he didn’t look up from his work as he did the usual and ignored her. 

“I’m going to the mall, I already informed Hazel like you said,” she told him, refusing to ask for permission. The last time she went out he told her to let him know, and that’s what she was doing. She didn’t need to ask for permission, no matter how much her omega side almost hunched down at her bluntness towards the alpha. 

As expected, his pen froze halfway through writing something. Rooting herself, she met his gaze as he set his jaw and his nose flared. She didn’t need to hear his response to know that did not please him.

“Why?” 

Vanya frowned. 

She did not expect him to ask why for some reason.

“I need to buy a few things.”

“What _things_?”

Vanya bit her bottom lip. Damn it, why did he have to be so intimidating? 

“I only brought three sets of clothes with me, I need to buy some more.” 

Instead of scoffing at her as she assumed he would, the tension in his jaw softened and he put his pen down. She expected him to give her the go-ahead to go, not that she needed it. Instead, he got up from his chair and slipped on his suit jacket. 

“Tell Hazel not to bother, I’ll be taking you instead.”

Vanya gaped.

“But- you-wh... You don’t have to.”

He didn’t seem to have even listened to her as he took his phone from the desk and made his way to the doorway. Vanya simply stepped out of his way and watched his back as he made his way to the living room.

“Follow me then,” he ordered when she just stood there, frozen with her mouth hanging open. 

Closing her mouth, she followed him. Vanya remained quiet, still far too shocked as Mr. Hargeeves took the elevator keys and what she suspected were the car keys. 

“P,” Five called Mr. P. In mere seconds, the large Doberman walked into the foyer, watching his owner intently. 

After he placed his keys inside his pocket, Five knelt and gazed straight into Mr. P’s chocolate brown eyes.

“Behave,” he ordered. 

When Mr. P licked the usually composed, no funny business Mr. Hargreeves from chin to forehead, she thought he would yell at the poor dog. Her body even tensed up, ready for it, but instead, the corner of his lip twitched and he petted him behind the ear. Vanya was left flummoxed. 

Mr. Hargreeves said nothing further as he fixed his suit and entered the elevator, his brow raised when she stayed frozen on the spot. She nearly stumbled on her feet as she hastily entered the elevator. The next few seconds were awkward as they ignored one another. Once the elevator opened, she exited with a quick step after Mr. Hargreeves. 

As expected, as they walked through the lobby, people either stared at them with near awe or did their best to ignore them. Either way, Mr. Hargreeves didn’t seem to care or notice as his posture remained straight and his expression composed. 

In the parking lot, among seas of expensive cars, she was not surprised when he led them to the most expensive-looking one. A black European sports car she didn’t know the name of. 

Vanya got in the car, gazing from side to side, her hands between her knees. She had never been inside a sports car before, except that time Diego sneaked them into a car dealership and went inside one of the cars. But even that car was nowhere near this level. It was a strange environment for her. Meanwhile, Mr. Hargreeves seemed completely at ease as he pushed the ignition button.

Vanya squeaked and nearly jumped off her seat when the engine came to life, giving out a deep rumble. 

Without saying another word, or showing any reaction in his usual haughty expression, he drove out of the parking lot and into the busy streets of the city. The ride was quiet, neither of them so much as said a word. 

Vanya tapped her finger against her leg.

“Why did you name him Mr. Pennycrumb?” She asked, trying to make small talk. Surely, for such a serious man like him, naming an intimidating dog, Mr. Pennycrumb must have a very interesting story behind it. 

For a moment she thought he wouldn’t answer as he kept his gaze fixed on the road. Vanya rolled her eyes and went to turn her attention to the outside when he spoke. 

“My niece’s idea,” he answered gruffly but offered no further explanation.

Vanya turned her head towards him, her brows raised. 

So he had a niece then? So he wasn’t just some isolated billionaire with no human connections. But now that she thought about it, he had siblings, and she heard they had paired his older sister Allison with an omega a while back. Was his niece her daughter? She didn’t know, and it unnerved her a bit how she knew almost nothing about him. 

“So, you like dogs then?” She asked, trying to find out more about him. Maybe if she got to know him a bit, this situation might not be so bad. Not to mention that she had to play nice, at least until he gave her the mark, for both their sakes.

Mr. Hargreeves formed his lips into a tight line and his nose flared as he gave her a short, clearly annoyed hmm as an answer. That was her cue to shut up for the rest of the ride. 

“Hazel found him in a dogfighting ring when he was a puppy. His apartment didn’t allow dogs, so he brought him to me.”

Once again, Vanya’s brows shot up. Her heart also clenched at the revelation that Mr. P, such a sweet dog, was in such a horrible place once. 

“So you adopted him instead?”

He huffed.

“I’m still waiting for Hazel to take him back.”

Vanya nodded. 

She knew he was faking nonchalance. He clearly cared about Mr. P a great deal. In the last two weeks, she hadn’t seen him treat anyone human or otherwise, and he treated Mr. P. 

Neither of them said anything further for the rest of the ride. Once they arrived at the mall, it was more or less the same, only that it was more awkward as people stared at them, or more like at him. Thankfully, no one said a thing as she entered her usual stores and picked out her clothes. Behind her, she could feel the look of disgust from Mr. Hargreeves as she took the shirts with the clearance tags on them. Once she had an armful of clothes, she made her way to the tilt. The intimidating alpha followed behind. 

The cashier starred from her to Mr. Hargreeves as she scanned all the clothes. 

“That’ll be eighty dollars and fifty-seven cents.” 

Vanya nodded and slipped her hand inside her pocket, but before she could take out her phone where her card was, Mr. Hargreeves slipped his card from his wallet with a flick of his wrist. 

Vanya frowned.

“What are you doing?”

He didn’t answer as he turned to her and raised his brow as if to ask her if it wasn’t obvious. 

Vanya shook her head adamantly.

“Oh no, I’m paying.”

Mr. Hargreeve’s expression soured as his brows crushed together. 

“Don’t be ridiculous,” he huffed and placed his shiny, black credit card on the counter. The cashier’s eyes popped. 

“I’m not being ridiculous, I’m being serious,” she took the card from the counter and held it back to him. “I have money too, I’m paying for my own stuff.” 

He turned his body to her, his imposing body looming over her as he stared down at her. 

“I make a billion times more money than you,” he scoffed.

She took a step towards him. They must have made a rather amusing picture, with her tiny height that barely reached his shoulder as she squared up to him. 

“It’s not about how much you make, _Mr_ . _Hargreeves_. It’s the fact that I like to buy my own clothes.”

She didn’t know where all that brazen attitude was coming from, she usually hid away from confrontation. She blamed the fact that he had been rude to her for two weeks and she had been stuck inside. All that isolation and anger brought the worse from her. 

His chest expanded as he took a deep breath, his nose flared. 

“What the hell is the holdup?” A furious customer behind them growled, but when Mr. Hargreeves turned his head and shot him the full intensity of his glare, he shut his mouth. 

“I am paying and that is that.”

“Well, I’m not letting you.” 

Both of them turned to the cashier, holding out the cards to her. The cashier looked from her to him, her brows slanted, sweat rolling down her forehead as if unsure who to pick. In the end, she took the black credit card from Mr. Hargreeves, caving into the alpha rather than the omega. Typical. 

“You’re not buying me anything else,” she grumbled as they walked out of the store, a smug smile on his lips. Unfortunately for her, he ended up paying for everything else, including her underwear, making her blush when the cashier winked at her. 

Once she had everything she needed, they returned to the car. 

After he turned the ignition, Mr. Hargreeves lifted his arms and looked down at his watch. Most people would comment about the time, but Mr. Hargreeves was not like other people as he drove them out of the parking lot. She assumed they were going back to the penthouse, but when he stopped by a very expensive-looking restaurant, she balked. The people that were making their way to the restaurant were all finely dressed.

“What are we doing here?” 

“Eating,” he responded as he shut off the engine and opened the door.

Vanya turned her attention from the restaurant to him.

“I’m not going in there, I’m not dressed properly.”

He didn’t seem to have heard her as he exited the car. Only when she didn’t do the same did he lean down and glare at her through the window.

“Get out of the car,” he growled, but she crossed her arms and shook her head.

His immature attitude brought out the worst in her. This was where she put her foot down. 

“I’m not going in there dressed like this,” she repeated. 

Mr. Hargreeves inhaled sharply, no doubt gathering as much of his patience he had left. 

“Where else do you expect us to go then?”

Vanya pursed her lips.

* * *

“Vanya!” 

Vanya smiled from ear to ear. They were at Mrs. Magdalina’s, the city’s finest dinnner. At least, to her it was. Her mother used to bring her and her brother as often as she could to the point that they were treated like family. Mrs. Magdalina, a short older lady, smiled fondly at her, her wrinkled eyes nearly closing as she gazed at her. 

“так приятно снова тебя видеть.”

Vanya returned her smile and greeted her in Russian. Mrs. Magdalina hugged her briefly. When she separated from her, her wrinkled eyes landed on Mr. Hargreeves. She gestured at him with her chin and asked her if he was her boyfriend. As blood rose to her cheeks, Vanya shook her head and stammered and answered in Russian as she made her way to one table before the kind old man could embarrass her further and Mr. Hargreeves caught on with what she said. What if he spoke Russian?

She gazed back at him. From his cold and aloof expression, it seemed he didn’t understand what they said. Either that or he didn’t care. 

Thankfully, Mrs. Magdalina didn’t ask further as she took their orders. Vanya considered letting Mr. Hargreeves ordered for himself, but with the menu that was mostly Russian, she ordered for him instead.

As they waited, she couldn’t help but stare at him. With his three-piece suit and his shiny Rolex, he seemed so out of place in the rundown dinner.

“You seem to know the people here well,” he commented. 

Vanya nodded, surprised that he had been the first to start a conversation. 

“Yea, I eat here a lot... or used to, I don’t know if I’ll be coming here often anymore.” 

He nodded.

“Glad to hear it, you should get used to eating in more refined establishments.” 

Her brows sunk. Did he always have to ruin every conversation? Couldn’t he be amiable for once? No, he had to be a jerk. 

“Why? Because no woman that is in the great Mr. Hargreeves company can be caught eating in a dinner?” 

He didn’t seem at all offended.

“Yes.” 

Her nose flared. She wasn’t just going to let some pompous, rich boy offend her mom’s favourite restaurants, much less to her face. 

Vanya leaned forward on her seat, her glare meeting his eyes, not at all caring that her instincts were telling her to avert her eyes and submit. 

“I have you know, Mrs. Magdalina makes the best Russian food in the city.”

He scoffed and eyed the dinner with a snobby curve of his brow. 

“I bet.”

She nearly blew up there and then.

“You know,” she pointed her spoon at him. “Maybe you should try it first before you say anything.” 

“Don’t need to. I already know the food will be subpar. The reason why you think it’s so good is that you don’t know any better.”

She gaped.

“What does that mean?” 

“Exactly what I said.”

She closed her mouth, and her grip on her spoon tightened. The only thing that kept her from throwing the spoon to his face was that she knew she needed to get him to give her the mark. Otherwise, she would have given him a piece of her mind.

Vanya slumped back in her seat.

“Starve then, but I’m gonna eat because I’m hungry.” 

When Mrs. Magdalina brought their bowls of borscht, Vanya nearly licked her lips and she dug in. Meanwhile, Mr. Hargreeves didn’t so much as touch his as he stared at it like it was poison. She didn’t know what it was, if she couldn’t just have him talking badly about Mrs. Magdalina’s cooking, or because she just wanted to shove it in his smug face that he was wrong. But she took a spoonful of her borscht and offered it to him.

For a second she thought he would take the spoon from her, or refuse, so when he leaned down and parted his lips, taking the spoon inside his mouth, their eyes glued together, she felt like her heart had jumped to her throat. 

It must have only been a second, but it felt like ages as he stayed there watching her intently. When he leaned back and fixed his tie, gulping down the content of the soup, she finally let go of the breath she didn’t know she had been holding. She watched as he schooled his face into an unreadable, no doubt trying to fake how much he disliked it. 

“Good, isn’t it?”

He shrugged.

“It’s alright, I suppose.”

Despite his nonchalance and arrogant expression that hadn’t changed one bit, she felt like she had just won the biggest victory in her life as her lips pulled into the widest smile of her life. For the briefest moment, the tip of his ears turned red, and his face softened. But then she thought she must have dreamed it, seeing as it was soon gone. 

The silence was awkward as they ate. 

When her bowl was empty, and he had eaten half of his, she asked for the check. This time, as Mr. Hargreeves took out his wallet, she told Mrs. Magdalina that she would pay. The older lady, unlike all the cashiers, didn’t care that Mr. Hargreeves was an alpha as she nodded and offered her the bill with the machine. As Vanya put in her pin, she couldn’t help but smirk as Mr. Hargeeves sat there, shifting his weight, seeming really awkward and almost antsy as she paid for the bill. 

With full bellies and the bill paid by her, Vanya happily exited the dinner after giving Mrs. Magdalina a farewell. 

Once more, the drive remained quiet as they ignored one another. Despite all the rocky bumps on the way, she thought the day had gone rather well. Neither of them ended up killing each other. She would call that a win. 

Of course, she had thought that too soon.

“You shouldn’t have done that,” Mr. Hargreeves suddenly grumbled, prompting her to change her attention from the window to him. “I’m the alpha, I’m the one that pays. It’s the way it is.”

Vanya snorted, surprised that he was still thinking about that. He already paid for all her clothes, couldn’t he just leave a simple dinner go? Besides, it’s none of his business. 

“Well, you haven’t marked me so I’m not your omega.” She huffed and turned her action back to the window. “That means you haven’t broken any silly _alpha_ rules.” 

When the brakes screeched the car to a halt, lurching her forward on her seat, her heart felt like it had jumped to her throat and leaped out of her mouth. If her seatbelt hadn’t caught on time, she would have hit her head against the dashboard. 

Heart thumping out of her chest, she gulped down air as she turned her head to him, her face screwed into a furious one.

“What the hell is wrong with you?!” 

Mr. Hargreeves didn’t seem at all surprised or taken aback by her anger as he stared at her, his grip tight on the steering wheel.

“Is that what you want?" he hissed. "That I mark you right now and fuck you in some parking lot?” 

Vanya pressed her lips tight together, her heart thumping at a rapid speed for very different reasons now. This was it. This was the topic they had both been avoiding since the moment they first met. 

Looking at him and the way his brows were crushed together, his nose twitching from what seemed like repressed anger, she knew he wanted to sound angry but he wasn’t fooling anyone she could hear the lust in his voice. The way his pupils were blown wide and his chest was rising and falling, and the way his eyes went from her eyes to her lips then back, she knew he was just as affected as she was. 

Neither of them said anything. The air in the car felt charged as they both stared at each other directly in the eyes. In the distance, she could vaguely hear people shouting at them, no doubt angry at them for blocking the road, but she didn’t care. She faced the biggest decision of her life.

If she said yes, then maybe he would give her the mark, and wasn’t that what she wanted? Sure, she would just have to live knowing that she lost her virginity in a parking lot, but it was but a small sacrifice in the grand scheme of things. She would be stupid to shake her head, so why couldn’t she nod? Why did she keep picturing her mother, and all she went through? 

Taking a deep breath, she shook her head and averted her gaze, submitting. Almost as if from a snap of a finger, the energy in the car dissipated. 

“Good,” was all he said as he turned the ignition and continued to drive. 

The ride was deathly silent, as well as their walk through the lobby, and their time in the elevator. She felt exhausted; she wanted nothing but to get back to her nest and tuck herself inside the heavy blankets and forget about everything. 

The elevator dinged, and the door slid open. Before she could step out of the elevator and return to her room, he took a hold of her wrist. Every single one of her muscles seized up. 

“Just so we’re clear,” he growled, turning her towards him, his voice deep and commanding. “I am the alpha, and you live under my roof. It doesn’t matter that I haven’t given you the mark, you are mine. Do you understand?”

She wanted to scoff, to shake her head or roll her eyes, anything to show him how ridiculous he was being. But the damn asshole used as much alpha command as possible, making her unable to do much more than avert her eyes and nod meekly. Damn it, she really hated being an omega.

He said nothing more than he let go of her and walked off without saying goodbye.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like, if Five constantly had Dolores following him to spray him with water every time he did something stupid, everything would go more smoothly!! hahaha.
> 
> Anyways, glad you're all liking this fic, it's really fun to write!


	6. Chapter 6

“Get the oven ready, Vanya.”

With a bright smile on her lips, six-year-old Vanya made her way to the kitchen table and took a chair. Her small arms struggled with the weight, but she managed to take it to the oven. Climbing on top of it, she leaned over to reach the oven controls and turned it on. Beside her, Diego was busy cleaning up, his height not that much taller than Vanya’s. By the counter near the oven, their mom was busy cutting the dough into shapes with a sharp knife. When they went to the supermarket, they had seen a cookie-cutter, Vanya’s eyes had grown wide at the pretty shapes, but they had been too expensive. 

After putting the butter and the eggs inside the fridge, Diego went to stand beside their mom. His head rested on her arm as he looked at her cut the dough. His nose wrinkled a bit when she put a finished one on the tray.

“Can my cookies be a different shape? Hearts are for girls,” he grumbled.

Their mother raised a brow but didn’t stop cutting.

“And who told you that?” She asked, amused. 

Diego shrugged.

“They just are.”

Vanya sauntered to them, hugging their mom’s leg.

“I think they’re pretty,” Vanya beamed, and their mom smiled fondly at her. 

Diego rolled his eyes.

“ _Yea_ , because you’re a girl.”

While their mom was busy, Vanya turned her head, so she was looking at Diego behind her back and stuck her tongue out at him. He did the same.

“If you don’t want heart-shaped cookies, I’ll make yours into a different shape.” 

Diego tried to not seem excited as he nodded and went back to watch their mom. For a long while, both of them just stood there and enjoyed the moment, while their mom did her the best to cut the dough. It was far from perfect, but Vanya still grinned every time she passed her a heart-shaped cookie to put on the tray. 

Taking one of the delicate dough-shaped hearts, Vanya was halfway to placing it on the pan when the click of the main door rang around the room. On cue, all three of them froze on the spot and turned to look at the hallway. None of them said a word.

“Dinner better be ready,” a gruff, male voice fumed from the living room. 

Their father was home. 

By the kitchen archway, a greasy-looking man appeared, reeking of alpha scent. Vanya held tight to their mom’s shirt, hiding half of her body behind her as she gazed up at their father. 

Beady eyes narrowing, he took in the mess in the kitchen with unrepressed anger, until they landed on them.

“What the hell is this?” He asked, his voice low and dangerous. 

Vanya felt their mother tense up where she held onto her.

“Hello dear, I didn’t know you would be home early, we’re makin-”

“I know what they are, I mean why the hell are you wasting money on this shit?” He cut her off, his jaw clenching. 

Vanya hid further behind her mom. Dad was always scary when he got like this. 

Their mom pursed her lips.

“I got a bit extra at work, I thought it would be nice for the kid-”

“The kids?” Their father took a step towards them. “I have rent to pay next week, and you went and bought fucking flour and sugar to make cookies?”

“I just thought-“

“Shut up!”

That was it for Vanya. Her little fingers tightened around their mother’s shirt as she hid completely behind her. However, Diego, no taller than the man’s waist, let go of their mom and stood in front of her instead, his posture straight and his chest puffed out. His eyes glinted with determination and anger. 

“Don’t talk to my mother that way!” 

Vanya took a deep breath, as the man’s nose flared, his eyes turned down as he glared at Diego. 

“What did you say, you little shit?”

Diego didn’t seem at all afraid as he opened his mouth to repeat himself, but before he could say anything their mom pushed him behind her. 

“Nothing, he said nothing.”

Vanya watched as her brother tried to fight her, but her hold on his wrist was vice-like. 

Their father didn’t seem convinced as his nose flared, his cheeks turned from a light pink to red in a matter of seconds as he turned his attention back to his mate. Vanya already knew what was going to happen, and she braced for it.

“I work all fucking day, and this is the kind of respect I get?” 

Vanya clung to her brother when their father reached out and took their mom’s wrist, dragging her away from them. Her heart caught in her throat when his face turned a bright red. Before anyone knew it, he raised his hand high and brought it down. The slap reverberated across the room. 

* * *

Vanya gasped as she lurched up in her bed. Her chest heaving, her breathing fast. Her eyes shifted from one side of the room to the other with mistrust and fear. This was not her apartment, the walls were too clean and new-looking; the furniture was not like the one she bought. Before she could start panicking, the last two weeks came rushing back to her, and she let out a deep exhale. This was Mr. Hargreeves apartment, her supposed alpha, and the biggest d-

A loud bark resonated from the living room, and she completely forgot about her dream. Vanya frowned and stared at the opened door. That was strange, Mr. P never barked before. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end as she thought the worst. What if someone had broken in?

Vanya quickly turned towards her nightstand where her phone rested. It would be a good idea to call Hazel just to be on the safe side. Taking the phone in her hand, she searched for his number but then froze before clicking it. What if it wasn’t a burglar? What if Mr. P was barking because he saw a mouse or something? Dogs barked for no apparent reason. Could this be one of those occasions? She didn’t want to call him and worry him for nothing, not to mention that he would contact Mr. Hargreeves. There was also the fact that if it turned out to be nothing, then she would look foolish with all the cops that would no doubt show up in record time. 

Shaking her head, she put the phone back on the nightstand and got out of her nest. She would just have to see for herself what Mr. P was barking at. 

With short, hesitant steps she went to the living room, keeping herself against the walls in case there had been a break-in. Her heart hammering against her chest. When she arrived, Mr. P’s barks growing louder, she took a deep breath and walked through the archway. She did not expect what she saw.

The worst she assumed had happened, someone had broken in. But instead of being busy stealing, the man was standing on top of one table by the foyer, his face one of utter fear as he shrank at the presence of the large, furious Doberman in front of him. The man himself was tall and lanky, his hair curly and short, with a goatee on his chin. From where she stood, she could smell he was a beta, as well as the awful smell of weed. 

Vanya cocked her head.

She did not know who he was, but he didn’t seem like a burglar to her or someone with heinous intentions. Even she felt no fear towards the man, who clearly made the wrong decision by breaking into this apartment.

“Good doggy, good, vicious, angry doggy,” the man cooed as he tried to step off the table. However, as soon as he put one leg out, Mr. P jumped at it, his teeth snapping at the air as he barely missed his mark. 

The man gave out a very feminine yelp and pushed himself as far onto the wall as possible, his skin turned pale. Given his utter fear, she couldn’t help but feel sorry for the man. Maybe he was maintenance or something, she doubted it with how he was dressed, but one thing was for sure if he was a burglar, he was the worst one ever. 

“Mr. P,” she called, getting the attention from the stranger but not from Mr. P, who continued to glower at him. “Sit.” 

She didn’t think it would work, her command was far from the commanding ones Mr. Hargreeves would bark at the dog. But to her surprise, Mr. P stopped barking and sat, his eyes fixed on the stranger, ready to lunge at any second. 

“Oh, thank god!” The man breathed and got off the table. Vanya watched him intently; if she was wrong about him, she would not hesitate to tell Mr. P to attack.

The man fixed his jacket and hair as if nothing had happened.

“That’s odd, he usually hates hookers.” Klaus shrugged and smirked. “You must be a special kind of hooker.”

Vanya’s brow twitched. He just broke into the apartment, and the first thing he thought of doing was calling her a hooker. He had some nerves.

“I’m not a hooker.”

He shot her a puzzled look. 

“Oh sorry, I didn’t mean to assume. It’s just that’s the kind of women that come around here you see.”

Vanya arched a brow. So he wasn’t some stranger then. But if he wasn’t, then who was he? Also, the revelation did not surprise her. With how much of a dick Mr. Hargreeves was, she doubted anyone would want to sleep with him for anything other than his money. 

“I don’t doubt it,” she huffed.

He chuckled and sauntered into the apartment. Meanwhile, Mr. P continued to glare at him from where he sat. For the first time, the ever so sweet dog resembled his owner. 

“So who are you then?” He asked as he looked around the apartment as if searching for something.

Vanya crossed her arms. 

“Mr. Hargreeves and I ar-“

The man stopped and whirled, making a face as he waved his hand to stop her before she could finish.

“I’ll stop you right there.”

“I don’t know what kinda kink you and my brother have, but don’t call him that. Mr. Hargreeves was our dear old papa.” He rubbed his ear. “My ears hurt just hearing that name.”

Vanya couldn’t help the utter shock from showing in her face as she watched him turn and go from one side of the living room to the other. So this was one of the Hargreeves siblings? Given his getup, which screamed homeless man, she assumed this was Klaus Hargreeves. The junkie of the family. Other than that, she knew little about him, except that he was constantly on the news when he was younger because of his lavish partying lifestyle. 

Klaus went to the couch and patted the cushions. When he didn’t find what he was looking for, he turned and pointed a finger at her. 

“So in the end the breeding program _did_ pair him up with an omega, huh?”

Vanya frowned.

“What do you mean in the _end_?”

Klaus shrugged and offered no further explanation. Instead, he rose to his full height and analyzed the apartment until his eyes landed on something. 

“Ah-ha!”

Klaus sauntered to a bust of a furious-looking man, lifted it and took a zip-lock bag from under it and placed it inside his pocket. Vanya craned her neck. She couldn’t make out what it was, but she suspected its content. It honestly did not surprise her, but she twitched her nose in disapproval. 

“So you’re Five’s younger brother?” She asked, changing the subject. 

He seemed older, but the way he carried himself suggested otherwise. She really had to look up the Hargreeves family. How she hadn’t done that already was beyond her. 

Klaus snorted.

“Nah, I’m the sexy older brother.” He winked.

“Five is the baby of the family…” he paused, Vanya frowned when she noticed his eyes lost some of that spark in them as he deflated. “Well, after... well.”

He cleared his throat and grinned at her.

“Anyway, I should go before Scrooge gets back.” 

Just like that, with no further explanation of what that had all been about, Klaus made his way to the elevator and pressed the button. Vanya just stared at him. And she thought Five was odd. 

As he waited for the elevator, he turned to face her.

“Please don’t tell Five I was here. My ear is still ringing from the last time he yelled at me over the phone.”

Vanya pressed her lips together. 

In different circumstances, she would have said no. How could she not tell the owner of an apartment that it was broken into? Even if it was his brother. But she didn’t like Five, and Klaus didn’t seem like a bad person. 

“I won’t.”

Klaus beamed.

“And just like that, you’re now my favourite sister-in-law.” 

“Do you have any other sisters-in-law?”

He shook his head.

“No, but if I did, you would be my favourite!” 

Vanya couldn’t help but chuckle. Yup, he was definitely more friendly than his broody brother. 

* * *

Neck bent, Five diligently went through the small stacks of papers before him, his pen flying furiously over the papers. Out of all the CEOs in the world, he was convinced he was one of the few who still resorted to hard copies instead of digital. Dolores always insisted on putting everything on the computer, claiming it would make things easier. But he was a stickler for the old ways, there was just something about reading something off a page than from a screen, not to mention the soothing feeling of-

Before he could finish the last paper, a large stack of them was dumped in front of him. His brow twitched.

“So, did you talk to her?” Dolores asked. 

Five gazed at her over the papers for a quick second, then returned his attention to them. He knew exactly who _she_ was talking about, the only person his assistant and best friend seemed to want to talk about these days. He sometimes liked to indulge her, but he still hadn’t told her about the fiasco of last night. 

“I did.” 

Dolores grinned and sat back in her seat as she folded her legs and got herself comfortable. Five rolled his eyes. She was having too much fun with this.

“What did you talk about?” 

Putting an elegant signature on the paper he had finished reading through. He considered just ignoring her and telling her to mind her business, but he could never say that to her so he put down his pen and gave her a short re-telling of last night. Once he was done, he waited for her reaction, one which he knew would be less than favourable towards him.

Her face twisted into one of anger. 

“Damn it Five, is it really that difficult to talk to someone?”

Five huffed and sank back in his seat. Here it comes.

“It’s like you don’t even know how to speak to women!” She exclaimed. “Have you ever even spoken to a woman that wasn’t either me or your sister before?”

He opened his mouth. 

“That isn’t on your payroll?” 

He closed his mouth. 

“It’s not my fault, I just don’t know what she likes, or what she wants. I tried to pay for her stuff, but then she got angry at me. I then tried to take her to a restaurant, but she refused to even get out of the car and then prevented me from picking up the check after dinner.”

“At which point you decided to put her in her place,” she concluded. 

Five nodded, bowing his head a little. When she put it like that, it sounded way worse than it was. For the next few seconds, she regarded him, not saying a word. 

“Hmm, I think I see what the issue is.” She pointed her finger at him. “You’re too used to compliant women that just leech off your money. So when you meet one that wants nothing to do with your wealth, you’re completely thrown out of your element.” 

Dolores waved her hand.

“Have you ever considered that she might find your wealth uncomfortable?”

He opened and closed his mouth. 

“Well, no, why would she?”

Dolores rolled her eyes at him. 

“This might come as a shock to you, but not everyone was raised with a silver spoon in their mouth.” 

Five huffed and leaned back on his seat. Of course, he knew that; he wasn’t ignorant. However, before he could say anything, she continued. 

“She is a girl that is used to hardships and taking care of herself. She probably finds the idea of letting someone pay for her odd and off-putting, and I think you should respect that.” 

“So what, I’m not allowed to buy her anything? That I should just let her take us to every beat-down restaurant in the city for the rest of our lives?”

“Yes, and no” she answered simply, making his frustration grow exponentially. With a growl, he got off his chair and glared down at her. This was his relationship, or whatever the hell it was, he didn’t need her to judge him.

“I’m the alpha, I’m the one that decides.” 

Dolores met his glare, not at all fazed by its intensity. She was an alpha after all, and it was difficult to be intimidating to her when she had seen him vomit out his stomach countless times before. 

“Is that you or your father speaking? I can’t tell anymore,” she hissed. 

For what felt like ages, they both just glared at one another. His nose flared while she remained composed. That was a low blow, and she knew it. 

Giving out a sigh, she sat back and shook her head while pinching her nose.

“You’re hopeless Five, how you even managed to get laid before is beyond me.”

If it had been anyone, he would have lost it. Instead, he exhaled and sat back down. He felt tired, more than he had in years. 

“She’s just a kid,” he sighed, his exhaustion audible. 

Dolores propped her chin on her fist.

“She’s twenty-three, that is hardly a kid. And it’s not like you’re an old man either. You’re thirty-two years old for crying out loud.” Her eyes softened. “And her age won’t matter to them. If they find out you still haven’t given her the mark, they will take her away and give her to a much less patient alpha.”

Five set his jaw, his stomach felt like it was being twisted at the thought of someone taking his omega away. 

Giving out a groan, he bent his head and his hands went straight to his hair.

“What the hell do you expect me to do?! Fuck her against her will?”

And that was just it, wasn’t it? The question he had been asking himself since this whole damn thing started. 

Is that what society expected of him? What the government wants him to do? He was far from innocent, but one thing he was not was a rapist. He would, and could not hurt someone like that, much less her, someone so young and pure… Just the thought of it made bile rise to his throat. Sure, he wasn’t kidding when he asked her if she wanted him to mark her and fuck her. If she had given him the go-ahead, he was sure he would have done it, even though he would have hated himself for it. But he wouldn’t otherwise, he couldn’t.

“No, of course not.” She shook her head. “I just think you should talk about it, maybe try to get to know each other. Come to an understanding.” 

“You were both put in a difficult position, but that doesn’t mean you have to be enemies.” She cleared her throat. “Getting to know her will also make it easier for when her heat comes.” 

Five tensed up at the word _heat_.

Despite all the information he had about her, down to her last doctor’s appointment, he didn’t know when her heat would come, but it was something he had thought a lot about, both with dread and anticipation. Despite all his experiences with omegas, he had never been around an omega in heat before, but he’d heard how overwhelming it was from Allison. How its potent scent sent alpha’s crazy, controlled by their instincts. He didn’t know what he would do once she was in heat. He supposed he would have to lock himself up and tell Hazel to monitor her to make sure she was safe. 

“All that aside,” Dolores said. “Do you think you like her?”

Five blinked and scratched the back of his neck and turned his head, trying to hide the red at the tip of his ears. For some reason, he kept thinking about that small smile that had slipped on her lips in the diner. 

“She’s tolerable, I suppose.” 

* * *

Once the workday was over, Five was too tired to go anywhere else and decided to go home instead. His feet practically dragged as he made his way to the elevator and placed the key, and walked inside. 

As the elevator made its way up, he thought about what Dolores had told him. That maybe, just maybe, he hadn’t reacted the right way yesterday. It seemed ridiculous to think so, but as he recalled the look of fear and pain in her soft, doe-eyes he couldn’t help but sigh, feeling a lot like an asshole. He definitely did overreact, but he didn’t mean to. He had just been too frustrated about everything, not to mention that her very scent put him on edge, bringing out the alpha side of him. Maybe he should ap-

Five shook his head.

No, that would be stupid. It would only make him seem weak, and Hargreeves are not weak, they do not admit defeat. His father would often tell him that, beat it into his head in fact. 

“Hargreeves are not weak,” he found himself mumbling, like a mantra.

When the elevator door dinged, Five stepped into his apartment, letting a heavy sigh of relief. Home swee-

Brows crushing together, he sniffed the air and his nose flared.

Klaus was here, he could recognize his cheap cologne anywhere. 

Practically dropping his briefcase, he made his way to the bust. It appeared undamaged and unchanged, but just to be sure. He lifted it, but when his eyes landed on the empty compartment, he nearly threw it against the wall. Damn Klaus, this was the last fucking straw. 

With barely controlled anger, he took his phone from his pocket and dialled his number. Of course, the idiot knew better than to pick up, so when he went straight to voicemail he nearly threw the phone. Before he did something stupid, like throwing every breakable item in his apartment against the wall and startling the omega, he stormed to his den. When he got there, he banged the door shut behind him. 

Not only was Klaus calling him nearly every week for money, but he was stealing his stuff now? He had two other siblings, why couldn’t he just go to them instead? Why did he always have to fix everyone’s problems?

Slumping down on his desk chair, he did the only thing that always calmed him down when he was stressed; he worked. 

A few minutes passed, and just when his muscles eased up, the door banged open; he didn’t need to see to know who it was as the sweet omega scent hit him like a tidal wave. 

Vanya stood by the doorway, her chest heaving, panic clear in her eyes.

“There’s something wrong with Mr. P!” 

That’s all she needed to say as he rose to his feet and followed her back to the living room, his heart beating out of his chest. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NOOOOOOOOOO, Mr. P!!!!!


	7. Chapter 7

Vanya tapped her finger against her knee, her eyes constantly going to the rearview mirror, her face contorted into one of worry.

Just a few minutes ago, but what felt like ages, she had been lying down on her nest, reading up on the Hargreeves family on her phone. She had been engrossed in her reading, especially the section about Five and all his academic achievements and scandals. A prodigy who took to drugs after the accident that put his brother, Ben Hargreeves, in a coma, or so the media speculated. She had spent hours reading article after article, rolling her eyes at every ridiculous model he had gone out with, when she realized how quiet the apartment was, more importantly, Mr. P’s absence. The friendly Doberman usually spent most of the time by her side, so where was he?

Fuelled with concern, she had left her nest and went out to check up on M,r. P, a forewarning sensation twisted in her gut that grew when she called his name but he didn’t come to her. When she found him in the kitchen, pacing and panting, distress clear in his face as he tried to retch but nothing came out, it was like her heart had leaped out of her chest.

She didn’t even think it through, didn’t even cross her mind as she went straight to Five’s office. Entering an alpha’s den unannounced was a bad idea, but she didn’t care at that moment. She didn’t care about the angry, brooding alpha who disliked her or who would no doubt get angry at her for not knocking. She just pushed the door open, her eyes wide with concern. 

For a brief second, annoyance crossed his eyes as he looked at her, but when he no doubt noticed the concern in her face, he frowned. All she told him was that something was wrong with Mr. P and that’s all he needed to hear, as he rose to his feet and followed her back to the living room.

When Five’s eyes landed on Mr. P with care, she had never seen him show; he took the 43kg Doberman and stormed out of the apartment, Vanya followed behind. 

People had stared at them as they both ran through the lobby, but neither cared as Five led them to yet another car, put Mr. P in the backseat with as much care as possible and drove them to the nearest animal hospital. 

Through the busy streets, he drove like a maniac, and she was even certain he had driven through at least one red light, but even she wasn’t sure. All her attention was on Mr. P, who was clearly in a lot of pain as he curled himself into a ball on the back seat. 

_‘It’s ok, we’re almost there,’_ she wanted to say to the poor dog, but she couldn’t even muster the will to do that. The concern and fear gripped her throat, preventing her from saying anything. 

The car came to a stop in front of a local animal hospital. Five jumped out of the car first, followed by her. She opened the door for him as he took Mr. P in his arms and ran inside the vet. 

“Hello, how-” the receptionist who sat behind the front desk paused when she took in their state and the unresponsive dog in Five’s arms. 

“What happened?” The receptionist asked after calling the veterinarian. 

Vanya gazed at Five, waiting for him to answer, but when he remained morbidly quiet, she answered. 

“I-I don’t know, I found him in the kitchen, pacing and panting. He seemed like he was trying to vomit but couldn’t,” she answered, her voice trembling between words. 

The receptionist nodded. Not a few seconds later the veterinarian walked into the lobby, clearly having been pulled out of another consultation. She seemed tired, but she didn’t say a thing as she led Five to one of the examination rooms. Vanya didn’t follow him this time. Instead, she stayed behind and sat on a bench in the waiting room, her hands between her knees, her foot tapping against the floor at a rapid speed. A few seconds later Five joined her, but he didn’t take a seat. Instead, he opted to pace, his arms crossed, brows crushed together, his eyes shifting to the door to the examination room. 

Minutes turned into what felt like hours, and she began to think the worse.

She had only known Mr. P for two weeks, but she already felt so close to the kind-hearted dog. He was the first member of the apartment she met, the only one who stayed by her side the last two weeks, listening to her rant about her problems, giving her small head tilts every so often, as if he could understand what she was saying. He was her companion, her friend. If something happened to him, she didn’t know what she would do. She would be left in the apartment all alone, with no one to listen to her, no one to accompany her, to nudge her awake with his wet nose so she could fill up his food bowl. It would just be her.

Bottom lips quivering, she gritted her teeth and stared at the floor, doing her best to keep the tears at bay. It wouldn’t help to cry, Mr. P could still make it through. She had to believe he would. 

Closing her eyes shut tight, a lonely tear slipped through her lashes, splashing against her cheek and rolling down her skin. 

Vanya bit the inside of her cheek. Damn it, couldn’t she even do that? 

As she sighed, calming herself slightly, she realized the rhythmic sounds of Five’s footsteps had stopped. Raising her head, she met a set of soft green eyes staring at her. She didn’t know why, but for a moment she thought she would find annoyance, anger, maybe even disgust in his eyes from her crying, but there was none of that. No, his eyes shun with something she couldn’t quite place, something raw and almost vulnerable, something she had never seen in him before, something that made the regal man seem more human. Meeting his stare, it took her a second to realize what that was and her brows raised. Five Hargreaves, CEO of one of the world’s largest corporation, was scared. 

Vanya cocked her head. 

At the moment, the most intimidating men she had ever met seemed so young, nothing like the short-tempered man she had been forced to live with for the last two weeks. 

Something squeezed inside her. 

She didn’t know what it was, call it an omega’s instinct to protect and nurture, but before she could stop herself she raised to her feet and made her way to him, her steps hesitant. He watched her warily but didn’t step back once she was in front of him, his brows slated, his breathing harsh, his body taut. He seemed like some sort of feral animal, ready to snap at any second, and she was right in the line of fire. But she didn’t care, her instincts taking over.

With hesitation, she raised her hand towards his face, her fingers inches from his cheek, his eyes going from it to her. 

“I-”

The door of the examination room banged open. Vanya jumped back and snapped her hand back to her side, her eyes glued to his. In less than a second, the look of vulnerability and fear that had dominated his face was warped into his usual intense one, the lines of his forehead creased. 

Vanya exhaled, letting out the breath she didn’t know she had been holding, only to inhale sharply when the veterinarian approached them. 

“The surgery was a success.” She looked from her to him. “We believe he’ll make a full recovery.” 

Five exhaled, losing all the tension in his shoulders. Tears pricked her eyes. 

“What happened?” He asked, his voice hoarse.

“He suffered GDV, more commonly known as bloating. As for the cause, he must have eaten too fast or started running too soon after his meal… There are many causes to bloating, we just don’t know if it was caused by a condition or not yet.” 

“Can we see him?” He asked, his voice softer than she had ever heard it.

The veterinarian pursed her lips as if considering to say no, but then nodded and led them to the back. As she followed behind, her heart was beating against her rib cage. Mr. P was going to be fine, he was alright, that’s all that mattered.

As soon as the veterinarian opened the door to the emergency room, Vanya’s instantly landed on Mr. P and she lunged herself at the examination table and petted him. The poor dog was too exhausted, and not quite responsive yet to even raise his head, but his ears quirked a bit as his eyes met hers. She didn’t understand dog language, or what he was feeling, but he seemed happy to see her.

This time she didn’t stop the tears as she smiled at him. 

“It’s ok P, you’re ok now,” she soothed, rubbing his ears, just how he liked it. 

Behind her she sensed Five looming over them, but for the first time she didn’t feel at all threatened by the alpha as she continued to pet Mr. P. 

Unlike her, he didn’t approach or pet him, he simply watched them both, his hands balled up into fists.

“What now?” He asked the veterinarian. 

She sighed, placing her hands inside her pockets.

“He should stay here so we can monitor him, but the worst is over.”

Vanya turned her head, watching as he simply nodded and stormed out of the examination room without another word. Vanya gaped, then turned back to Mr. P whose eyes widened as he watched his owner leave, distress clear in his face. What the hell was that?

“I’ll be back,” she assured him, slipping her sweater off and laying it on top of him. “Be a good boy, ok?” 

She gave Mr. P one last glance, then went after Five. 

“Mr. Hargreeves,” she called, but he didn’t respond or stop. “Mr. Hargree-”

“Don’t call me that!” He snapped, turning on the spot, his face red from the anger, prompting her to take a step back. He let out a sharp exhale and shook his head. “Mr. Hargreeves was my father.”

She didn’t respond, she just stood there, her back hunching a little, her gaze downcast. Her instincts were still at the surface, telling her to stand down before he unleashed his anger on her. 

Five didn’t seem to notice as he placed his hand inside his pocket but when he couldn’t find what he was looking for he searched through all his pockets. His nose flared when he came up empty.

“I forgot my phone at home,” he growled, turning his attention to her. “Will you make yourself useful and call Hazel?”

She felt a sharp pang on her chest, her inner omega curled into a little ball. 

She wanted to tell him he had driven them here, but given his current state, maybe he was right to call a ride. She didn’t trust him not getting them into an accident three seconds into driving. So, in the end, she took out her phone and called Hazel. 

It took the head of security no time at all to arrive at the animal hospital in his limo. Neither of them said a thing as they went inside. She had wanted to say goodbye to Mr. P, but she wasn’t sure if she could leave a second time. And maybe it was for the best, he needed to rest. 

In the car, the air was thick, both of them avoiding one another. Five’s leg was bouncing at an incredible speed, his finger tapping against his thigh, his breathing harsh. 

She eyes him wearily. He seemed like he was a second from blowing up. 

When they finally arrived at the apartment, he nearly lunged out of the limo and stormed inside, Vanya did her best to keep up, thanking Hazel as she did. However, before she left he gave her a strange almost worried look she didn’t understand.

As she entered the lobby, she thought he wouldn’t wait for her, but he stood in the elevator, keeping the door open for her. Still, he didn’t meet her eyes as he kept them trained ahead, his face schooled into an unreadable one. The silence was awkward as they waited for the elevator to reach the apartment. Her eyes kept shifting to him, noticing the way his body was tense like a bow. Despite him being in a constant state of stress, she had never seen him like that before. Her forehead creased.

When the elevator dinged and the doors opened, he stormed out, no doubt going straight to his den. Meanwhile, she just stood there, frozen, unsure what to do. 

Should she follow him? Make sure he was alright? He didn’t seem like he was in the best state of mind. She may dislike him, but she didn’t want something to happen to him either. He was still a human being. She would feel guilty if something happened to him. That was the only explanation she allowed herself.

Taking a deep breath, she followed him. She went straight to his den, but oddly enough didn’t find him there, so she went to his room. Standing outside the door, she paused when she heard a crash and a glass breaking. The hairs stood on end at the back of her neck. Maybe checking up on him was a bad idea. She didn’t want to intrude, nor did she want to anger the clearly furious alpha. What could she do anyway?

Vanya clenched her teeth and shook her head as she moved away from the door. But then she remembered the look of concern on Hazel’s face, and she stopped. 

Five may be an asshole, but he had a family, brothers and a sister who cared about him, at least she assumed they did. He had Mr. P, the poor dog went through enough, he needed his owner now more than ever. Even Hazel seemed to worry about him. She couldn’t pretend to know him, but even she knew he wasn’t in the right mindset and she knew what people were capable of doing when they weren’t in the right state of mind. 

Biting the inside of her cheek, she flared her nose and knocked on the door. As she expected, she didn’t get an answer, but this time she didn’t care as she took the doorknob and slowly turned it. 

“Five?” 

She didn’t find him right away, seeing as the lights were off and the room was dark, but when she found him on the bed, nightstand turned over, his sleeve rolled up, and a needle glinting from the light, she took in a sharp breath. 

“What are you doing?” She asked, her voice strained. 

He didn’t even turn to her.

“None of your concern,” he growled, preparing to inject himself with what she could only assume to be some kind of drug. 

Her eyes widened. 

She was far from qualified to do this. Maybe she should call Hazel, anyone. But as the needle got closer to his arm, she froze.

“You don’t have to do that,” she blurted, unsure what else to say. 

Once again, he paid her no attention, no shock there.

Vanya pursed her lips. What now?

“I know what happened scared you. You care a lot about Mr. P I-”

“Could you shut up?!” He snapped, fiery eyes finally going to her. “He’s just a fucking dog. Stop crying about it. 

Her lips sealed shut, a frightened whine formed in her throat but she stopped it from escaping. 

Five gestured at the door, his teeth bared. 

“Now mind your own damn business and get out!” 

She felt another pang of fear and anger, but concern quickly diluted them. 

_‘Mind your own business?!_ ’ Her father would growl at her, every time he would beat her mother yet again. Six-year-old Vanya could not do a thing, but she wasn’t six anymore, and this wasn’t the same situation.

How could she mind her own business, when she kept going back to those times she found an empty, prescription bottle in the bathroom of her childhood home? All those times her mom would reach inside her bag with a manic speed and popped a pill into her mouth. Of her calling for her mom, only to find her in her bed, an empty pill bottle in her hand, her body unre-

Vanya closed her eyes shut and inhaled. When she re-opened them they budged when she saw he had already pierced his skin but hadn’t sunk the plunger. 

Everything seemed to slow down as she stopped breathing, her heart beating out of her chest. Before he could inject himself, Vanya did the only thing she could do and lunged at him. She wasn’t sure what she was doing. All she knew was that she couldn’t stand the sight of anyone harming themselves that way, not again. He was an asshole, and didn’t deserve her help, but how could she just let him do this to himself? 

With all his attention on his arm, he hadn’t noticed her until she had her arms wrapped around him. His body instantly froze solid, and she held her breath, thinking that he would push her away. But when that didn’t happen, she tightened her hold on him, still unsure what the hell she was doing. 

“I’m sorry about Mr. P, you clearly care a great deal about him.”

He said nothing; he didn’t so much as breathe. They stayed like that for what felt like ages, neither of them breathing. When he finally moved, he slowly raised his hand placed it on her shoulder. 

Vanya tightened her hold on him.

This was it. He was going to pull her away. 

His fingers dug into her shirt and his head sunk onto her neck, right where her scent gland was, and the syringe clattered to the floor. Five Hargreeves clung to her for dear life. 

Vanya let out a deep breath she didn’t know she had been holding, his musky scent encasing her in a mere instant, hazing her mind. But instead of the sexual desire she often felt from it, she felt something much deeper. 

“It’s ok,” she mumbled. 

He remained quiet. The only sound in the room was his steady breathing as he nuzzled her neck, seeking more of her scent. It made something odd and foreign stir within her. It was rude to touch a scent gland without permission, but she let him, and how could she not? He seemed almost starved of her touch as he sunk further and further into her, his breathing growing steady, fingers tightening around her. It was minutes later that she realized he had fallen asleep.

With as much care as possible, she lowered him to the bed. Once his head rested against his pillow, she leaned back, but his grasp on her tightened and he rolled her into the bed. Vanya squeaked as his arms and practically his entire body wrapped around her. She laid frozen for several seconds until he snored and she slumped down on the bed. 

Her nose sank on his pillow, his scent encasing her once more. She bit back a purr, but she couldn’t help but nuzzle the pillow. Why did alphas have to smell so damn good, especially this one? 

Turning her head from the pillow, she gazed at his face. 

He seemed so innocent and vulnerable it made her chest squeeze. It was hard to believe how much of an asshole he actually was, but at least he wasn’t right at this moment. With the deep scent, and how warm she was, she couldn’t help but feel sleepy.

It was foolish to let her guard down, especially in the presence of an alpha, but she couldn’t help but close her eyes.

* * *

Vanya had slept for what felt like minutes but was probably hours when she heard the elevator ding and her eyes snapped open. 

Could that be Klaus? She didn’t know, but she had to check. 

After she unwrapped the long arms from her, she slipped out of bed, getting a pang of loss. She stopped and looked at him. He grumbled something incoherent, but he didn’t stir awake, so she exited the room. 

As she made her way to the living room, she heard the clicking of heels, telling her that the visitor wasn’t Klaus, unless he decided to wear heels. Vanya tensed up as she walked through the archway and peered into the living room. 

The person standing by the couch wasn’t Klaus, as she had suspected, nor was it, Hazel. It was a tall, elegant woman, with an air that almost screamed model, if not for her clothes that screamed businesswoman. It didn’t help that she was also an alpha. 

The woman’s back was to her, but as soon as Vanya took a step into the living room, she whirled and Vanya almost jumped.

“Is Five alright? I came as soon as Hazel called me,” the woman asked, going straight to business, concern clear in her eyes.

Vanya opened and closed her mouth. 

What? 

“I-er-yea he’s alright... I’m sorry but, who are you?”

She blinked as if confused, but then she shook her head and re-gathered herself. 

“I’m sorry, where are my manners?” She walked up to her and offered her a hand. “I’m Dolores, Five’s assistant.”

Vanya eyed her wearily. 

She seemed like more than his assistant, what kind of assistant had the keys to their boss’s apartment and let herself in unannounced like she owned the place? The omega within her was bristling at the competition. 

“Vanya,” she introduced, shaking her hand. “Five’s in bed sleeping.” 

Dolores looked at her incredulously, but once again she shook her head. 

“Really?” 

Vanya’s brow twitched a little. 

“Yes.”

Once again she didn’t seem to believe her, as she looked at the hallways that lead to the rooms.

“I’m sorry, but do you mind if I check?” 

Once more her omega side stirred. She didn’t like this Dolores. Still, she kept her expression into an unreadable one and nodded.

Vanya stayed behind as Dolores retreated into the apartment. Her lips formed into a tight line. When she came back, she seemed even more in shock.

“I can’t believe it, he _is_ asleep,” she mumbled. “How did you do it?”

Vanya shrugged. She didn’t know herself. She thought he was going to push her away as soon as she made contact with her; it was a miracle he didn’t. She never thought Five would go down so easily. 

Dolores sniffed at the air, then frowned. 

“It’s probably the incredible amount of calming pheromones you’re releasing.” 

Vanya’s brows shot up. 

“I am?”

Dolores nodded.

“Yes, and do you mind toning it down?” She coughed. “It’s hard to think straight.”

“Oh, sure, sorry.”

She wasn’t sure how to tone it down, or that she had even been doing it. Not once had she heard that she had done that. Her mom died before she could teach her about being an omega, and it wasn’t like she could find someone to teach her. 

Dolores waved her hand in the air. 

“It’s ok.”

With a frown, Vanya concentrated. She wasn’t sure if it was working, but when Dolores deflated and sighed, she assumed it did. 

Both of them stood in awkward silence.

“So…” Vanya cleared her throat. “How long has his -er- substance abuse been going on for?”

“You mean how long has he been a junkie?” Dolores shrugged. “Beats me, but since adolescence, if I had to guess. He tried to hide it from me for years.”

Dolores’ face fell into a saddened one.

“He seems convinced he doesn’t have a problem, that he can just stop any time he wants.”

‘ _Can you pass mommy her pills?’_ She remembered her mom’s words with morbid clarity. 

Vanya took a deep breath.

“They all do, but they never do,” she murmured.

Dolores gave her a tight, sympathetic smile.

“Brother?” She asked.

“Mother.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.” Dolores sighed. “it’s tough to watch someone you love do that to themselves.” 

Vanya nodded. It sure was.

“You care about him,” Vanya said softly. 

“Of course,” Dolores said and Vanya’s shoulders fell, she wasn’t sure why that was. She had no claim on him. “We’ve been friends all our lives, he’s like a brother to me.”

Like a brother? 

Vanya blinked and nearly laughed at her absurdity, but frowned at her jealousy instead. Why was she being jealous? 

Once more, both of them stood in awkward silence, until she cleared her voice. 

“Look, I know you don’t know me, and I don’t know you, and it’s none of my business to intrude in other people’s lives, but thank you for taking care of him. I know he isn’t the easiest person to take care of.”

Vanya nodded but said nothing. Dolores seemed like she had something else to say. 

“That being said,” she started. “I would really appreciate it if you continued to help him.” 

She just stared at her, unsure what to say. How could she possibly help Five? She got lucky this time around. What he needs is professional help, not her. What could she possibly do?

Dolores gestured at herself. 

“I know Five is an asshole, and you deserve to give him shit for it.”

Vanya’s eyes widened partially upon hearing such a refined woman use those words. 

“In fact, do give him shit for it, he needs it. He’s arrogant, selfish, a man child that can’t function on his own…. but there’s a good man underneath all those layers. He just... hasn’t had the easiest of life.”

Silence followed. 

Vanya worked her jaw, trying to figure out what to say next. A part of her wanted to say no, she didn’t want to give him a chance, another part knew she had no choice, and another smaller side of her felt sorry for him. She kept remembering that moment of vulnerability in the veterinarian, the way he clung to her in bed. The past two weeks she assumed Five Hargreeves was just some arrogant, rich boy that didn’t care about those he trampled over, and while he was to some extent, there was more to him than the image everyone saw. He was a broken man, with more issues than she could possibly handle, but once again, what other choice did she have? Not to mention she was just as broken. But maybe that’s why the computer matched them. 

She pursed her lips. 

“How can I give him a chance when he’s not interested?”

Dolores raised a brow and smirked.

“Oh, believe me, he is,” she chuckled. “Five likes intricate puzzles, and you’re the most intricate one yet.”

Vanya wasn’t too sure about that. People often told her she was plain, there was nothing intricate about her. 

Dolores took a deep breath.

“I should get going, but please, keep doing what you did. I’m tired of searching for his hiding spots to put his stash. He’s growing more and more creative with them.”

Vanya sighed and gave her a brief nod.

“I’ll try.”

Dolores smiled. 

“I wish we could have met in a more... favourable setting, but it was a pleasure meeting you Vanya.” 

Vanya gave her a genuine smile. Maybe she wasn’t so bad. 

“Likewise, Dolores.” 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had to write and re-write this chapter so many times! Anyways, I hope everyone liked it!


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